Unusual Embrace
by Rat300
Summary: Tohru's cousin is flown in from America to take her away from her current way of life. When she meets the Sohmas she finds that they aren't the only ones cursed. Eventual HatsuhauXOC. Rated T for safety due to laguage and a hard knock life.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hey here is my new Fruits Basket fic! No clue if it will be good or not but bear with me. If I get anything wrong please forgive me and tell me, if it is important then I'll fix it and if it isn't then we can all pretend it is like we all do here in Authorville. Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nada that isn't mine!**

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1

The trees flew by outside of the car window, Trees gave way to pastures and pastures in turn gave way to buildings. My aunt sat in the front seat; she was driving me to the air port. Recently things in my family had begun taking a turn for the worse, but I'm not going to dwell on that now. Its best just to move forward, nothing good can be gained from moping around after all. At least, this was my newest outlook on life.

Aunt Rika was taking me to live with her and my Uncle at my grandfather's house. I hadn't seen them and the rest of my family in ages. I had been very young the last time I had seen my cousins. I was hoping I would get to see Tohru again too, the last time I had seen her we had been 6 or 7 and we spent all of our time play acting tragic scenes from movies or baking things with her mom. I never got to play with Aunt Rika's kids for very long, but from what I remember of them they never really liked me. This was not going to be the most fun life change but I was going to have to make do with what I was given.

"Here we are Jaden, our flight is about to leave so we need to hurry or we'll be late." Aunt Rika was already out of door and three cars down by the time she had finished speaking. I was running to catch up with her when I turned around; my mother was still in the car. She had come along to see me off. I waved at her, but she only stared. Slowly she lifted a hand, but was quick to return it to her lap. She got out of the car and I was about to run back to hug her good bye, but she was only getting out to switch to the driver's seat.

It hurt to watch her leave, she drove away without a word and I was left staring at an empty parking spot. "Jaden? We need to hurry up, get a move on!" I ran to catch up and followed my aunt through the airport, my head hung low. It wasn't until we were seated on the plane that I lifted my eyes from my converse. Out side of the window I watch the world fall away as we took off.

"Bye Mom." I whispered my farewell; it was time to move on. She doesn't need me here, so it's best I don't need her either.

The plane touched down several hours later and we were greeted by my Uncle. "Rika, glad you made it back safely. He gave her a hug and then turned to look at me. "Is this your niece? She doesn't look like much of anything." He leaned in closer his eyes gave me the creeps. "I'll bet she doesn't even speak Japanese." He seemed to be laughing at the blush that had crept on my cheeks. He must have thought I was affected by him, in all honesty the guys was just really scaring my and I was feeling rather embarrassed. I'm not normally so door-matish, but I was trying to act like the obedient daughter or niece everyone expected me to be. They were taking me in after all.

"I do speak Japanese; I'd like to think I speak it fairly well. If I'm wrong then please help me get better at it." My eyes had drifted back down to my shoes by the time I had finished speaking, my voice quivering. Not in fear, I was just disgusted with having to act like this.

'_Pull your self together Jaden, you need to play the role of adorable little girl just long enough until you graduate and you can live on your own.'_ He humph-ed at my comment. "Was I speaking to you? You should just be glad we are being nice enough to let you stay with us." He turned around and slid his arm around his wife's waist, leading her away so they could find the luggage. Fuming I followed behind them, hands clenched around my backpack with my few personal item in it and my head down with my eyes glaring at the floor. _'Maybe I'll leave before I graduate, living on my own can't be too hard…'_

By the time we were leaving the air port not only was I carrying my luggage, but my Aunt's, my Uncle's coat, and I was squished into the back of the car with everything because my cousin Arisa's bags from her last sleep over were in the trunk and apparently she needed more clothes for a weekend stay at friend's house than I did to move homes and countries.

Looking over the stack crowding the backseat and giving me a little more than a mild feeling of claustrophobia, I sighed. Out of the window the buildings and people flashed by, a similar pattern as when I was leaving, only this time in reverse. Buildings, a few trees, more trees, and then residential homes. After about ten minutes we had pulled up at the place I would be making my new home.

"We're home, bring the stuff inside and set in on the stairs." I rumbled to myself but thankfully he was to far ahead to hear any of the choice words I chose to use. Stumbling under the weight I made my way up the sidewalk.

Tripping through the door I heard a raised angry teenage voice that I could only assume to be Arisa's. "What! You agreed to let another girl stay with us? Come on, this is so not fair! I already have to share my room with Tohru, now I have to share with her too?" Between feeling pissed at the girls attitude and feeling pissed at the luggage that had suddenly decided to jump from my arms to the floor I had managed to hear the tidbit concerning Tohru. Tohru is living here too? That's great, but why is she living with these jerks... I was taken out of my thought when I heard Uncle yelling at me. "What do you think you're doing? We don't have to give you a place to stay. We could toss you out on the street for all I care. Pick that mess up and make yourself useful!" I had very nearly reached my breaking point when I heard a quiet female voice gasp in surprise. "Uncle? What's wrong?" I turned to face the speaker and saw Tohru.

She was much older and somehow even prettier than when I last saw her. "Who's thi-" She stopped half way through her sentence once she had gotten a good look at me. I waited; convinced she would have forgotten me after so long. "Jaden! Oh my gosh! I haven't seen you in forever! What are you doing here?" Turns out I was wrong, she did remember me. Tohru launched herself across the room and latched herself onto me in vice grip hug. "My parent's thought it best if I went to visit family for a while. How have you been?" She smiled at the thought of me staying and I felt bad for lying to her. But what could I do? The truth would have only troubled her more than she deserved.

"Would the two of you knock it off? You can have bonding time later, just get to work." Having Tohru by my side seemed to have improved my mood and also made me more like my old self. "Sir yes Sir!" I saluted causing Tohru to giggle. Before he could reprimand me I got to work picking up the mass of luggage that had flooded the entrance. Tohru helped because she was always the kind to lend a helping hand no matter what.

Later that night I was sleeping on the floor in Arisa's room and Tohru had joined me. We were trying to keep our voices down so as not to wake the sleeping beast. Arisa was annoying as all get out but some times it was just easier to do what she said instead of fight with her about it. Somehow I was getting the feeling that no matter how wrong she was as long as we were in this house she was going to win.

"I've missed you so much Tohru-chan. What have you been up to? Why aren't you at your Mom's? I don't think you would be the type to come have a sleep over with Arisa for the fun of it." _Honestly, who would?_ Tohru became very quiet and I wondered if I had said something wrong. I reach for her hand and she grabs on tight, just like we used to do during sleepover as kids. "My mom died in a car accident almost a year ago," I was shocked but being the moron I was all I could do to comfort her was hold her hand tighter and say 'I'm sorry sweetie'. Could I be a worse cousin? "I came to live with grandpa, but he…" And so she told me everything that had happened to her, about living in a tent, about being found by 'prince' Yuki, and about living with them. When she spoke about the Sohmas I could tell how much she cared for them, in a way I was jealous. I had always wanted a friend like Tohru who cared about me this much, man I sure hope those boys, Yuki and Kyo she called them. I hope they know just how lucky they are. "But then two days ago Grandpa called and said that the remodeling was done and I could come back. I'm not sure I wanted to leave but I could impose on them anymore."

She had that spaced out look on face, the smile she wore settling over features as more of a reflex than an actual portrayal of emotion. "Sweetie, if you want to stay with them, I'm sure Gramps would let you. He's not a stickler and he wouldn't want to see you as unhappy as you are." Tohru blinked and tried to deny it. "I'm not unhappy, I just kind if miss them fighting, he-he, not a day went by when there wasn't some kind of fighting going on."

I reached up to lightly flick her on her head. "Idiot. If you want to say something then say it. I haven't seen you since you were seven and you still haven't changed a bit. Go to bed, we'll talk about this in the morning." She smiled and snuggled down into the blanket. We lay facing each other, our hands clasped the same way they always had been when we were little. _Oh Tohru, I never meant to lose contact like I did, Momma moved and then I wasn't there to protect you any more. Not that I was doing the best job to begin with._ I tightened my grasp unconsciously and stared at her sleeping face. Tohru is one of the few people on this planet that can appear perfectly content just about anywhere. _I promise to protect you Tohru, from the world and from your self. You need to learn when to take and when to give. You need your friends, and I'm going to get them back for you._ I slept soundly that night for the first time in years. I had a purpose, a goal, and I was going to deliver on that promise. Tohru was my cousin and my one and only true friend. Heaven help me if I let something keep her unhappy.

"Get up you lazy bums. Breakfast isn't going to make itself." It took every ounce of my self control not to hurl a pillow at that idiot called my uncle. "Oh, so sorry! I'll be down in a second!" Ugh, figures, Tohru jumped up at his words and began rushing around finding her clothes. She had one arm through the sleeve of her shirt and one sock on when I told her to sit down. "But Jaden, I need to go make breakfast-" "I'll do it Tohru, just sit down and quit running around like a chicken with its head cut off."

"Oh thank you Jaden but you don't have to, I can make breakfast. It is your first day back in Japan so I shou-" I turned around, my face void of emotion. "Tohru."

Chipper as always, "Yes Jaden?" "Shut up and finish getting dressed, I'm making breakfast and that's final." She smiled dumbly up at me, but sat down nonetheless. I glanced at the mirror at the wall. Blue eyes stared back at me, my skin was a light tan, more pale than tan, but I had some color. My hair was a tangled mess after having slept. It went past my shoulders down to about my waist. I had colored it at one point in my life but then it had grown a lot since then, so instead of having blonde tips that were like the rest of my hair, purple tips were flung haphazardly over my shoulder giving me the makings of some lazy punk chick. "Eh. Good enough." I reached for the blue jeans I had worn yesterday and threw them on along with a clean long sleeved black shirt. Grabbing the gray vest I had packed that had the wolf ears I had sewn on one day when I was bored and the black cap I had rescued from a yard sale a year ago. Flipping it on my head backwards I headed down the stairs to be met face to face with my dear cousin Arisa.

"You're up. Good, where's that Tohru chick, I'm hungry and she ought to be making breakfast by now." Glaring at the lazy brat who had obviously stumbled down not ten minutes before us yet still had the nerve to act like we were at fault for not having breakfast made on time. "So sorry your highness. I'm making breakfast today so if you be so kind as to go have a seat and wait." My tone was far from pleasant and the sarcasm was very apparent. She growled at me but turned around and shuffled to the kitchen in her bunny slippers and sweat pants with some lame name brand scrawled across her butt.

I stuck out my tongue and headed to the kitchen. My Uncle was drinking coffee and reading the newspaper; my Aunt also had coffee and was complaining to Gramps about the teacher's her daughter had to deal with at school. "Good morning Gramps." I wasn't actually related to the man personally, he was Tohru's father's dad, and I was only Tohru's cousin because my mom is her sister. But he had always treated me kindly when ever I would visit him with Kyoko and Tohru. I had never met my other grandparents, so he was as much of a grandfather to me as anyone else.

"Good morning Jaden! I didn't get to see much of you last night. Was your flight a good one?" I smiled at him kindly. It was nice to be worried over a little, and I could always trust Gramps to worry just enough if that makes any sense. "It was perfect. What do you want for breakfast?" Uncle glared at me from over his paper. He seemed insulted that I didn't wish to hear his opinion. '_It isn't like this is your house, so suck it up you big oaf!'_

"Anything is fine dear, no need to worry. Where is Tohru?" Moving to the pantry I decided to make scrambled eggs and French toast. While rummaging through the ingredients I replied over my shoulder. "I told her to take break and let me make breakfast. She ought to be down a little bit later if she hasn't fallen back to sleep." The ingredients in question found I went after the pans and other cooking utensils I would need.

"That was nice of you. Have you thought about school? I will pay if you want. With your grades you could probably go straight on into high school if you haven't been slacking off while you were gone of course. I heard a grunt of surprise from the other home crashers. It was true though, I was always told I did very well in school and had been offered the opportunity to skip grades multiple times, I just hadn't seen a need to before. But because I was a year younger than Tohru and would be going to a different school as her if I didn't then I might finally take them up on their offer.

"I'll get on that soon. Let me have a week to settle in and then I'll take care of it Gramps. I appreciate all that you're doing for me now and I couldn't allow for you to pay for my tuition too." He sighed but nodded in understanding. I slid his plate of eggs in front of him and then began working on everyone else's. "You and Tohru never let me help out." I kissed the top of his head as I slid the plates of the other family member's to their respective places.

"That's a lie and you know it." I walked down the hallway to the bottom of the stairs. "Tohru! Breakfast is done! Come eat!" I hollered up at her and was answered by a series of thank yous and a crash as she tripped down to land on top of me.

"Ah! Jaden I am so sorry! I didn't mean to but I was walking and my foot missed the floor…" She leaned over me trying to see my face. My body was convulsing in what appeared to be tears. Tohru began another panic attack and was trying to apologize and call for help at the same time when I caught her arm. She stopped to look at me and instead of finding me crying in pain she found me clutching my stomach trying to hold back the laughter threatening to spill out.

"I'm…fine…Tohru. You…should have…seen… you're face!" I couldn't take it anymore and began laughing out loud. It seemed to take Tohru a little while to process what exactly had just happened. But when she did she began laughing as well. We stayed that way for a while but eventually we had to get up and on with our lives. "Ok, now get off of me. Your food is getting cold and your classes start soon."

She jumped up and gave me a hand to my feet. We walked back into the kitchen to find that Gramps had had to leave and that the lazy, mooching trio was talking quietly amongst themselves. That is of course never a good sign, but it didn't seem to bother Tohru. She skipped to the table and I handed her a plate, never once taking my eyes from the creeps in question. Apparently my French toast was good and my eggs were delicious. They tasted like eggs to me and the toast seemed a little too sweet, but what do I know? Tohru said they were fine. Then again, she would probably say raw iguana with peanut butter was good if someone else made it for her.

Glancing at the clock I realized Tohru was going to need to scoot if she was going to make it to school on time. While she was eating I had fixed her a bento, she didn't seem to know how to handle me doing everything for her and kept trying to repay me in some way or another. Finally I was getting fed up with her overly kind and generous attitude because it was going to make her late.

"Tohru, why don't you repay me by letting me walk you to school eh? I need to ask some questions if I'm going to enroll there soon and I have no clue where it is." She seemed pleased with this arrangement so off we went.

It was a fairly quiet walk; the morning air seemed to make the whole world seem quieter than it should be. It wasn't long before the school came into view. "There it is! Kaibara High! Are you going to go to school here too Jaden? It would be so much fun if you could be in my grade. We both know your smart enough for it." Tohru latched onto y arm and began leading me through the court yard. "Probably, and you know it's not that I'm smart, I just have an eidetic memory. If anything I cheat."

Before she could try and argue over my apparent skill or lack there of the sound of running foot steps interrupted us along with some calling out. "Hey, Tohru! Wait up!" Tohur turned to look at the tall blonde girl running to catch up with us, she looked vaguely familiar to me, and so did the dark haired stoic girl following behind her. It took me a moment but there names came to me. "Uo and Hana, right Tohru?" She smiled and nodded as they came up to us.

"Hey Tohru, who's she? Wait a minute, do I know you?" She leaned down to look at me better. It made me feel short, I was at least two inches shorter than Tohru and Uo wasn't making that fact any less apparent. "Yes you do Uo, we met briefly when Tohru was 7, almost in passing. You hadn't made Tohru as close of a friend as she is now at the time and you paid little to no attention to me." The eyebrow that I could see rose a little bit higher as she stepped back.

"Uo, this is my cousin Jaden, her parents sent her to Japan to visit family for a while. Jaden this Uo and Hana like you said." Uo raised a hand to question what it was I had said no doubt but Tohru beat her to the punch. "Jaden has an eidetic memory so she is really good at remembering things." This seemed to answer the laid back Yankee's questions for now so she smiled and waved at me. Not quite used to this treatment from practical stranger I returned the favor.

"Strange," Our head swiveled to look at Hana who had chosen to speak up. "Your electrical signals are strange. Much like the Sohma's signals, only different." Uo seemed vaguely interested and nodded. Tohru however gave the strangest look, almost like I had suddenly grown a second head.

"Is there something on my face?" I gave her a pointed look, but she simply smiled. She blushed in embarrassment and then began babbling. Uo dropped a hand on her head so that she would shut up and quit worrying. I took that moment to act. "Hey Tohru, I know you need to get to class but could you show me to the office. Only if you won't be late though, I can find it on my own if you'll be late." She looked like she was about to say yes but her face fell. I inferred I was on my own and waved her ahead. I turned around only to run into, quite literally, a boy with pale purple, almost gray hair. He stepped back quickly causing me to almost face plant, but I was able to pull myself together in time. "Yuki-kun!" I racked my brain to see if I knew him. He must be the Yuki Tohru had been living with. Hmmm, looks like fate might favor me after all.

"I apologize, I didn't see you there. Hello Ms. Honda. How are you today?" Tohru smiled a truly brilliant smile and I saw the poor pale boy's face tint a slightly pinker shade. "I'm great, thanks for asking! This is Jaden, my cousin. I found out yesterday she is going to be living at Grandpa's too." I stuck out my hand to shake and I saw him waiver. Remembering I was in Japan and not America I quickly pulled it back and bowed. "Sorry. Nice to meet you. Tohru has said many nice things about you."

He blinked, momentarily stunned but quickly recovered his princely demeanor. "That is good to know. Did I hear right that you needed to see the office? I was just heading there myself to drop off a few announcements for the student council. If you would like I could show you the way." Tohru clapped her hands in approval and thanked Yuki profusely. Chuckling at her enthusiasm I accepted. "That would be most appreciated. I'll see you after school Tohru, I'll wait by the gates." Smiling she skipped off to class already in her own little world, Uo and Hana close at her heels.

'_She is such a space cadet'_ Sweat dropping at my cousin's childish antics I turned to face the apparent prince_. _"Lead on my good man. I am putting my only hope of survival in this labyrinth in your capable hands." I managed to get a chuckle out of him with that statement. With out think I latched on to his arm much like Tohru would do to me whenever we went somewhere new as kids. He seemed shocked and tried to politely extricate himself as if he would melt, but after a minute he calmed and the shocked look made way for wonderment. "Is something wrong _'Prince'_?" He shook his head no and led me away to the office. I can't be sure if I heard him right or not but I was almost certain I heard him mumble "You most definitely are related to her." But I can't be sure. From this moment on things would only get weirder, but unfortunately I wouldn't have any warning until it was much too late.

And is it just me or does my hat feel like it suddenly got tighter?

**A/N: Okay, first chapter done! I can't promise they will all be this long or that I'll update on time, but every now and then you may get lucky. I promise to try my best though. Scout's Honor! I'd love to hear your feedback. Thanks for reading!**

**Lots of Love!**

**-Rat**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Heyo! Thank you very much for all of my loving reviews! Upon request I will attempt to limit the language. I can not promise I will live up to your expectations but I can sure try! Onwards to the chapter I can't say that all of my updates will be this fast with school and stuff but we'll all just see how this plays out together, yeah?**

**Disclaimer: I own very little, Jaden is mine and is all that is mine.**

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2

Walking with Yuki to the office was almost pleasant. He was able to keep up a companionable silence, only speaking to suggest we turn or to ask a question here or there. "You and Ms. Honda are very close aren't you Ms…?" He paused, I hadn't given him a last name and I could see he was uncomfortable calling me by my first name so familiarly.

"Jaden is fine Yuki, my last name isn't worth mentioning." He tilted his head at my odd reasoning, but decided to leave it at that. "Yes, we are very close, we used to be much closer but my parents decided we should move to America when I was six. I hated leaving but Mom and Dad said we had to." I purposely left off the reasoning for leaving and I could see I hadn't quite slipped that by Yuki. For some reason though I felt he was the type that would be content to let me keep my secrets, at least for a little while.

The silence returned and by the look on his face Yuki was preoccupied. His thoughts were else where so I decided to begin memorizing the route. Even though I did have an eidetic memory, I had to see in order to memorize. Because I was never all that fond of reality and preferred being a space cadet like Tohru I have gotten lost more than a few times. When I think about it, I only get lost in any one way once, so that means it's a new adventure every time. I suppose that could be a plus. Who am I kidding?

As I scanned my surroundings I began to notice the near killing aura several of the girls were emitting. "Hey, Yuki? Do your fan-girls always look so deadly?" He sighed in apparent defeat. "How did you they were my fan-girls?" I raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you really have to ask that question?" "Touché. No, they are normally bad. Most days if I go any where alone I am either stared at the entire way or on occasion I'm chased from one way of the school to the other. I think today however you are the reason behind their death glares." That's odd, I was used to not always being accepted by other girls but what did I do to offend them so quickly. Normally it takes at least me opening my mouth and saying something before I get this level of hatred.

"What did I do to them?" He chuckled at my miffed expression and looked ahead towards the upcoming office door. "It is more what you are doing to me." I furrowed my eyebrows. Not at all pleased with his riddle like talk. He must have been feeling generous today because he explained without further prompting. "From what I have heard, my 'fan-club's' first rule is to protect me from everything. That includes strange girls not wearing a school uniform that have latched onto my arm and are freely conversing with me as if they have no clue of my 'prince' status and personal boundaries."

I could stop myself, I really tried but I just wasn't able to. "BWAH-HA-HA-HA!!!" I loudly laughed, surprising myself even, but this was pure gold. "You have got to be kidding me! You poor thing." I reached up with my free hand and patted his head. He seemed even more surprised with my actions now than he had before. Looking up I realized we had finally arrived at the office, the door looming over my short head. I mean really looming, I was a good three inches shorter than Tohru and she is far from the tallest person I know. Darn my young age and lack of growth spurt!

Collecting his regal composure Yuki opened the door and ushered me through. Grinning at his antics, finding them more humorous than charming I thanked him and walked through. He followed behind me and made his way to the desk to drop off his announcements for student council. I raised a hand to show the secretary I was there but she was on the phone and motioned for me to wait a moment.

Yuki turned to leave but stopped for a moment as he neared me. "It was a pleasure meeting you Ms. Jaden." He continued to leave but I had a few more questions that needed to be answered and seeing as I wouldn't be able to meet with anyone for a minute or two I had time to try and have them answered by the Sohma boy in front of me.

Rushing out the door and jogging to match his quick strides I called out for him to wait. He paused and turned around, waiting for me to make it to his position halfway down the hallway. Stupid boy with his obnoxiously long legs!

"Yes Ms. Jaden? Was there something else you needed?" I took a moment to catch my breath and then to meet his gaze evenly. "Tohru told me what you did for her. I wasn't going to say this in front of her but because of your kindness I am in your debt." He blinked, "That isn't necessary Ms. Jaden. We only did what any good person would have done." By the ever so slight darkening of his cheeks I knew well enough that that was not the only reason he had been fine with taking her in.

"Nevertheless, I owe you one. That having been said, have you noticed anything different these past couple of days? The way Tohru was been acting maybe?" He began to shake his head when I cut him off. Rising so I was on my tip toes and leaning into his face, my hand grasping his arm so that he had no way to avoid me. "What about the way you and everyone else she's been living with? Honestly tell me that her coming and then leaving hasn't had some kind of effect on you." He tried to shake his head once again but it was clear that even he didn't believe in his words.

"She really does care for you all; I hope you are all smart enough to have realized that." Sinking back down I stepped back, my rude and blunt actions finally sinking in. Tohru wouldn't like to think I was being mean to her friends, but there was no other way for me personally to get my point across. Rubbing my arm feeling just the tiniest twinge of embarrassment for harassing the poor boy who had been so kind to me I stepped further back only for him to stop me.

"Ms. Jaden, we care for her as well," His voice sounded sincere but I didn't dare look him in the eyes. I didn't want to know if he was lying. Ignorance is bliss as they say. Tentatively however, his hand lifted my face up to meet his eyes, his eyes that were so full of obvious care and worry for my cousin. "If something were to happen to Ms. Honda we would be very upset. She is practically a member of our family, and we Sohmas look out for our family." I closed my eyes to think on this.

Opening them again I quickly stepped away from him, distancing myself from his gaze. "If you mean that then you need to believe me when I say the best place for her right now is with you." If he understood the meaning behind my words he hid it very well. "I'm not quite sure I understand all that you are saying Ms. Jaden. But I feel that it is important I do. I have to get to class but would you be willing to stop by my house some time soon?" He really and truly wanted to take care of her, and that was enough for me.

"Of course Prince Charming," Regaining my composure and more laid back personality I began to ease away.

"Will you need the address Ms. Jaden?" Laughing I turned away and strode back to the office, lifting my hand in a parting gesture. "Of course! But have the fun of life is stumbling. I'll be there tonight. See you then." My farewell said and done I made my way back to the office, the secretary had finished her call and was ready to speak with me now. Tonight was going to different; I could feel it in the air. I could also feel for some reason something twitch on top of the hair beneath my hat. But after a minute it was gone so I decided to pay it no mind. The lady laid out several forms for me to fill out and I settled in for a boring time with paper work.

The day was over and I had managed to fill out all of the paper work. Sometime around an hour before school let out my Aunt had called asking me to pick up something to make for dinner. She and Uncle were coming home late after shopping for Arisa's birthday presents and wouldn't have time to make it themselves. Lucky me.

After a quick trip to the store I was back in just enough time to have a minute or two to wait outside of the school. The bags were heavy so I sat down setting them next to me on the cool side walk. I began to plan on what I was doing for dinner, nothing especially fancy. Maybe just some ongiri and some of the fish I bought. There had been a sale so I had dinner for the next few days. For some odd reason I had discerned that dear old Aunt and Uncle weren't the type to make a good home-cooked meal for the family out of the kindness of their hearts. It seems to me the only reason they offered to take me in was to have another slave or some kind of maid at their disposal.

"Jaden! How are you? Did you go shopping?" Tohru bounded up the path towards me and pulled me to my feet to give me hug. Smiling I answered, "I'm fine Tohru, same as always. Yes I went shopping. Aunt called me saying they wanted me to make dinner so I went to go get food. Gramps like fish right?" Tohru grabbed one of the bags and we started walking home.

"He loves fish! Did you get all of the registration paper sorted out so you can be enrolled?" Her eagerness to find out the answer would have been clearly evident for a deaf man. "Yes I did, starting next week I am a first year at Kaibara High with my favorite cousin!" She squealed and began to chatter on about her day, the things she learned, and all of the people Hana creamed in Rich Man Poor Man.

It wasn't long before we reached Gramp's house. I saw Aunt and Uncle's car in the drive way so it was safe to assume they were home. Walking in through the front door Tohru called out "We're home!" Everyone rushed to the door, overflowing with love and affection. They had missed us so much during our absence words could not describe it.

Did I fool you for even a second? No displays of family care or love were seen for miles, just a grumpy Uncle who apparently was used to being fed with a silver spoon. "What took you so long to get home? We called to say to make dinner hours ago!" Correction, you called _an_ hour ago. Stress on the singular. "I apologize, I had to go to the store and then I went to walk Tohru home from school seeing as it was on the way." The grump huffed in disapproval at my cold response and gestured towards the kitchen. "Well hurry it up and get a move on. We're all hungry I don't like lazy bums like you keeping us from our normal routine. Even little ditzy Tohru was better at keeping times and schedules straight than you _Jaden_."

My grip on the grocery's tightened, my nails pricking small hole into the thin plastic of the bags. Tohru could obviously tell I was upset. I always had a bad temper as a child whenever someone was picking on Tohru or looking down upon me. She set he hand on my shoulder and lightly steered me towards the kitchen. "Why don't I help you cook Jaden? You said we were having fish?"

Uncle snorted but then made his way upstairs, out of my sight. Once he was gone I was able to completely calm down. I was beginning to loathe that man. "Thank you Tohru. But you don't need to stay and help cook." She looked ready to happily protest so I brought out the trump card. "You have homework right?" At the look on her face I new I was spot on. "You get to work on that and come to me if you need any help. Wouldn't want you getting behind now would we?" I smirked and she knew she had lost. Settling down at the kitchen table she unloaded her school stuff and began working.

I began getting things ready for dinner. That was how the next hour or so was spent, me cooking and occasionally answering a question for Tohru, and her busily scribbling her answers down with a look of nearly complete concentration on he face. I had to tap her on the head with a spoon on more than one occasion when she had decided to leave this world for her own.

Thankfully the dinner was good. Gramps liked it; I could tell that Uncle was not fond of fish though. Personally that made the meal all the more enjoyable for me. Afterwards I excused myself. I left to garner a phone book to aid me in my quest for the elusive Sohma home. After some searching I managed to find an address that stuck out as belonging a Shigure Sohma. I recalled Tohru mentioning him to me as one of the boys she had stayed with so I knew I was if not right then very close.

Entering the kitchen I packed up the remainder of the rice balls and fish in a Tupperware container and went to say good bye. Tohru had gone to bed already; at least she had left for the solitude of the room she slept in while Arisa watched T.V. Gramps and Uncle were the only ones left in the dining room. "Gramps, I'm going out for a while okay?" He smiled at me and began to allow it when Uncle snapped at me. "Where do you think you are going this late? You haven't even done the dishes or taken out the garbage yet. You've been here for less than two days and you think were going to let you go off by yourself to _'meet someone'_?" He sneered at me. I looked at the clock and saw that it was just now six o'clock. Glancing back towards the kitchen I saw a spoon left out on the counter and one, repeat one glass that hadn't been taken care of. The trash can was barely a quarter of the way full. In less than three seconds I had proven the thought that had been merely a hypothesis in the back of my mind.

_The man hates me for no apparent reason. Nothing says I have to like him either…he could at least try being civil though…_I turned back to Gramps. "I'll finish up everything I haven't done when I get home, promise. But I promised I'd go meet my friend to discuss something important before things got to late. I'd hate to inconvenience him any further by showing up at some ungodly hour.

Gramps smiled, and gave me his blessings. I heard Uncle begin to protest but I had already cleared it with Gramps, his opinion didn't matter to me at all. "Don't you ignore me you worthless brat!" Uncle spun me around to face him. His was face inches from mine and his teeth were bared.

"I said you weren't going anywhere. I don't care if you are going to meet with your little boyfriend somewhere you tramp. I said you're staying here and finishing your chores and that's final." I closed my eyes and counted to ten backwards.

_Hurting him is not nice and would upset Gramps. Breathe, and don't rip the jerk's throat out with your bare hands. Happy thoughts Jaden, think happy thoughts._

I twisted away from him and calmly made my way to the door, waving with one hand to Gramps as I did so. Apparently however, by ignoring him and thinking my happy thoughts I managed to severely piss of dear old Uncle. "You brat!" ** *Thwack* **

My head tilted to the side, I paused in my departure at the sting of his hand across my face. I quit pretending. I didn't care if I offended anyone anymore. Slowly I lifted my head, blonde hair falling over my eyes that were burning with a cold hatred. I lifted them towards my newest antagonist.

"You little brat! You think you do what ever you want?! You are in my custody! You are MINE! Which means you will do as I sa-"***Thwack***

Gramps had beaten me to it. "You will not speak to her in such a fashion. You are an adult, act like one. Because you are living in my house the girl is as much my responsibility as yours. If you remember correctly, when the arrangements were made for her to come here no one was specified as her guardian. Legally neither you nor I are in charge of her. Her parents never signed her over to anyone. But if you lay another hand on her you will be the one out on the streets, not her."

Gramps never once frowned, but he never smiled either. His small eyes drifted to me, he knew me well enough to have seen the look in my eyes before. One time in Kindergarten a few girls were picking on Tohru when were with him at the park. He had to physically remove me from them with the help of Kyoko.

"Jaden, it is probably best that you should leave for a while." His voice was soft, but it was definitely not a suggestion. I took me a minute to move my feet. They resisted when I ordered them out the door, they would have much rather lead me towards that lowlife so I could teach him a lesson or two. Unfortunately I respected Gramps to much to do that, matter how much I wanted to.

Walking on autopilot I lifted my hand to my check to asses the damage. He had hit me hard, not some sissy slap. It was smarting really badly and when I pulled my hand back I saw small traces of blood from where he had hit so hard and cut me with his wedding ring and nails.

I could not believe I was allowing Tohru to live with a man capable of doing that to somebody. I picked up my pace, in a way hoping the speed would allow me to outrun the rage I could feel building. Strong emotions like rage and depression always remember things even better than I normally can. I didn't want to relive the memories that came with those emotions. So I ran. My feet pounded a rough uneven beat on the sidewalk as I tripped over my own feet in my haste.

It wasn't long until I had needed to stop, not because I was tired per se, though I do admit running like that does wear me out quite terribly, but more the fact that I had arrived at my destination. By know it was nearing seven and I was hoping he was home and that I wasn't bothering him.

Breathing deeply trying to steady my heart beat I walked up to the door. I shifted the boxes in my hands; I was partially amazed that I hadn't dropped them while running. Having finally gotten my heart rate under control I knock on the door. I heard a muffled voice, most likely from one of the back rooms holler out that they were coming. I waited patiently until the door was flung open by a handsome man in his early to mid twenties wearing traditional clothing. His dark hair was messy and he stared over my head for a minute until he looked down.

He didn't try to hide his surprise at seeing me. I was glad I had fixed my hair so that the bruise was less visible; his dark calculating eyes looked like they could bore a hole right to your soul if he wished it so. "Hello, Shigure Sohma? I'm looking for Yuki. I told him I was coming over; I do hope he hasn't forgotten." The man stepped out of the door way and told me to make myself at home while he got him. I offered the food.

He took it looking only slightly suspicious, at least until he opened it. "It isn't much but it was all I could make on short notice. Tohru actually helped me come up with that recipe when we were younger." At the mention of Tohru he looked taken aback.

"You know our little flower?" Yep, definitely Shigure. "I'm her cousin, Jaden." He nodded a mysterious look in his eye as he stepped out into the hall to call for Yuki. Feeling left out I followed him, brushing my hair over my bruise as I walked, making sure it couldn't be seen. It didn't seem to bother him, if anything he used it to his advantage.

"Yuki! My darling boy, looks like you have a visitor! May I present to you, duh-duh-da-dahh!!!! JADEN!" He gestured wildly in my direction and then wandered off to sit across from where I was standing at the table. Yuki sat on the left of me and another boy with orange hair sat at my right. By his description it was safe to assume him to be Kyo.

Yuki stood upon seeing me, "Ms. Jaden. I take it you found the house easily enough?" I smiled and nodded. "It was not quite the challenge I was looking for to be honest, but I'll take what I can get." Kyo leaned an elbow on the table in front of him and stared up, the look he gave me was measured. "Who are you supposed to be?" I smirked at him and leaned forward and did a fairly decent imitation of Shigure. "Why, I am your darling little flower's cousin! But unlike sweet Tohru, I'm the kind of flower that comes with thorns so don't think you're all that hot shot." His eyes narrowed at being called hot shot, but then all of my words managed to process inside of his head. "Wait, your Tohru's cousin? She never mentioned you."

I leaned back the smile still on my face. "I haven't been around the last while so I can't really fault her for that." I twisted away from Kyo to face Yuki who was staring at the table with an intensity that ought to have burned a hole through the wood. "Yo, Prince Charming? You trying to use your laser eye vision or does the table do something if you stare at it long enough?" He came back to Earth and shook his head. "I apologize. I was still trying to figure out what it was you last said to me. Now that you are here though you can explain for yourself. Would you like some tea first?" I shook my head.

"No thank you little Princeling, I don't think I have the time for tea." I leaned against the wall behind me and looked at the ground. "When I left you I said that the best for Tohru to be right now is with you. I meant it quite literally. Our Aunt and Uncle are staying with Gramps as well and they are far from being nice people. I've only been here a day and a half and already I'm making arrangement to get out of there. I don't trust them and you should know Tohru well enough by now to know that she trusts just about anyone blindly." I stared more intently at my shoes as I talked. "She trusts them too much and is going to listen to, accept, and to do what ever it they say or tell her to do. They are going to take advantage of her, I know it."

I glanced up to see them all staring at me intently. I sighed and went back to analyzing my shoes and the floor they stood on. "She doesn't want to impose and ask you to let her come back. After all you've done for her she feels she'd just be a burden. I don't see this as being one of those times where you have the luxury not to at least attempt to ask you all to let her back." I took a deep breath and continued.

"I'm asking for her so she doesn't need to worry about being rejected, will you let her come back and stay. I feel that staying with you is safest for her. I can understand if you can't, but you can't honestly blame me for trying." I let my head rest against the wall as they sat there thinking. After a minute had gone by I had closed my eyes trying my best not to think of scenarios that would play out if Tohru were to get hurt by the idiot I called my Uncle due to one of his moronic mistakes or prideful tirades.

I heard someone stand up, from the sound of it, it might be Yuki. I wasn't positive until I heard him speak though. "Ms. Jaden, we would love to welcome Ms. Honda back, so long as she truly wishes to come back. But can we ask why you feel your other relatives can't be trusted?" I opened my eyes and tilted my head towards him. I opened my mouth to give of my reasons, because he treats he like a maid and a cook, and because he considers her less important than the neighbor's dog as far as true importance. I had a whole list of reasons listed but I never got to say them because Yuki had lifted his hand to touch my quickly darkening bruise. When he pulled his hand away I could the small stream of blood than had begun to seep from the new wound had coated his fingers, leaving a red trail on his pale skin.

"Ms. Jaden. Who did this to you?" Yuki's voice was cold, still princely and polite in a sense, but any feeling of warmth had left. Kyo had jumped up at the sight of the blood and stood twitching in front of us, he looked ready to take on a wild bear. He was definitely the hot headed heroic type. Shigure leaned forwards, propping his arms on the table, the jovial element to his nature all but died down.

I wasn't used to this strong of a reaction before, honestly anytime of reaction would have been weird for me. I was always covered in cuts and bruises growing up. No one cared then; it was weird to think they might care now. "It doesn't matter, it's just a scratch." He touched my face again and I was fast enough to be able to suppress the wince that came with him brushing his cold finger against the bruise. I couldn't help but think if I wasn't the type that had bruised show up in minutes instead of hours then I would be having the issue.

"That is far from nothing, and definitely more than a scratch. Who did this to you Ms. Jaden?" He spoke calmly, as if to a child. And for once in my life it didn't feel all that bad to spoken to in such a demeaning fashion. That was because though he spoke simply I could actually hear his worry. Crap, I wasn't going to have an easy time lying to him after this.

"Like I said, I don't trust that uncle of mine," My voice was soft, barely above a whisper. But when I spoke next my vehemence was clear. "If he can do this to me while my Gramps was standing right there without batting an eye, what could he do to poor sweet Tohru?" I but my lip and shut my eyes tight trying to keep the thoughts away.

Mumbling more to myself than them, "I can handle this, I have handle this sort of thing, Tohru shouldn't have to. That's why I said I'd protect her. So she _never_ had to."

Slowly Yuki took my hand and led me to the table. Shigure had gotten a medical kit and began taking care of my face. Kyo stood beside me and kept clenching his fists, his feelings on the mater clear as day. I calmed down as I focused in the steady throbbing feeling my face was emanating. "Kyo, you're not going to do yourself or anyone else any good if you stand there glaring at the wall working yourself up into a frenzy." He glanced down at me and grit his teeth. He also made sure the sarcasm was dripping off of his opening statement. "Sorry!" He crossed his arms in frustration. "I don't like guys who mess with girls. It pisses me off!"

I couldn't help but smile at him. He really was sweet, just a little rough around the edges. "Aww, poor Kyon-kyon is upset! Does he need a hug?" I grinned and stuck my tongue out at him, trying to lighten the mood. "He growled back at me. "Don't call me Kyon-kyon, and I do _not_ need a hug!" He stomped his foot and turned around. I grinned again. Shigure was putting the finishing touches on the band-aid he was applying to my Technicolored face. "Oh, I think you do." Before he could run away or protest I had slid my arms around his shoulders and was hugging him tightly patting and rubbing his shoulder with mostly mock affection and sympathy.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Shigure and Yuki twitch towards me, their arms outreached and I felt Kyo stiffen like a board. After half a minute had gone by and nothing had happened they all relaxed to a certain degree. Kyo blinked stupidly and looked down at me. I stuck my tongue out at him. "You guys really are weird about hugs, you all act like you are going to melt or something. It's not like I'm threatening to kiss you or something." While they all stared off into space no doubt preoccupied with memories or some other thoughts I felt an odd tightening sensation under my hat for the second time that day. I patted the top and it felt oddly plush, like I had stuffed my pony tail under it or something. But because I new that was not the case I was dumbfounded as to the actual cause.

Kyo was the first out of la-la land, and he caught me patting the top of my head with a puzzled expression on my face. "What's that look for?" He gave me a look that honestly made me question my sanity, or at least what little I had left of it. "Well, my hat feels weird, like their out to be something under it. But there isn't, at least I don't think there is." "Only one way to find out," With one quick motion he had removed my hat and had it plopped on his own head. He ruffled the top of my hair with his hand. "See nothing to…. worry…about…" He left it as more of a question that a statement and his hand froze in my hair.

"What? Is it a bug or what? Come on, I've been through too much today to have some lame joke on top of it all." Kyo resumed his ruffling, except it was more like petting, he began to scratch and I couldn't help but purr… Wait a minute. That is not supposed to happen. I felt him ruffle something on the top of my head and I heard him loud and clear when he whispered 'ears'. My own hands flew to my head and I was shocked to feel furry triangles situated on the top of my head. "You have got to be kidding me…" I ran to the nearest bathroom I could find in search for a mirror.

It was true, I had cat ears, and my eyes were wavering as well. They couldn't seem to decide whether or not to contract into to small circles or cat like slits in the bright light. _I always knew I was borderline freakish, but this is just cruel…what are they going to think of me now?_ "Ms. Jaden?" I cringed. I hated feeling out of control of the situation. Right now I felt as if my whole life was in some one else's hands.

Suddenly I'm no longer the somewhat snappy sarcastic ever so slightly punk girl, but the weird chick with cat ears and eyes. What's next? A tail? I really didn't need to give anyone else anymore reason to hate me. I am what I am and I had learned to accept that, even if no one else did. Now I was becoming even further from the norm and would no doubt test the few bonds I had learned to form. I had only met them just today but there was little doubt in my mind that Yuki, Kyo, and even Shigure would want nothing to do with a freak like me.

I heard his steps outside the bathroom door, "Ms. Jaden? Would you please come out? We are as confused as you are and would like to help you." He sounded sincere, but I had made that mistake before. I looked and saw a small window in the bathroom, crossing over to it I found that it slid open with only a slight catch half way up. Yuki must have heard it because he pounded on the locked door.

"Ms. Jaden, please let us help you. We promise we aren't going to treat you any differently. We know what that's like and we would never wish that upon you." I paused, one foot outside the window the other still within. He sounds like he actually cares, almost like he actually means that. I shook my head. "I'm sorry to have bothered you!" I called out as I swung from the window, practically falling, but somehow I managed to land on all fours. _Guess the cat thing has its bonuses…_

I ran into the woods, no intention of returning home until I had this under control. I would risk a friendship that had just started, but even a daredevil like me wasn't going to risk the bond I had worked so hard to forge with Tohru. I just hope she's okay at home. If that idiot so much as touches her he is going to lose a hand when I find out about it. I ran to try and put what had happened behind me. But unlike when I ran earlier to leave my Uncle's idiocy, or when I left America to come here, this problem stayed with me and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't out run it.

Rocks flew beneath my feet as I tripped over roots and very nearly turned my ankle. I fell once but pulled myself up as quickly as I could. Panting I had to rest, I had been running for what felt like half an hour, but it was probably much less. My sense of time was all wrong, by the slowly fading daylight I knew I would have to find my way back before to long, or I'd be sleeping under the stars tonight. After what happened, that almost seemed like a welcome idea.

The tree I leaned against was cool against my skin and I sat down underneath it, my breathing heavy and the sound of my heart beat in my ears. I knew better than to let my mind drift without a specific goal in mind, that always led me back to memories I wished with all my heart I was capable of forgetting. But with all that had happened today I was exhausted both mentally and physically. I could keep my eyes open let alone pick a thought process to keep my mind busy.

My mind strayed, replaying the day. Making breakfast for Tohru, walking with Yuki, carrying groceries home, Uncle's sneer, helping Tohru with homework, leaving to meet with the Sohmas, Uncle trying to stop me…

His sneer was much to like the one I remembered in my nightmares, it was just the thing to cart me off down memory lane leaving me helpless on the forest floor, at the mercy of my mind.

_The door slammed behind me as I walked, my head hung low. I had just got back from school; the teacher had held me after class to offer me an opportunity to join a science club that would help me get a scholarship to college in the future. I had tried to politely turn her down as quickly as possible, but she was very obstinate in her efforts to help my get a better future. To bad she was ruining my present for me by trying._

"_What took you soo long missy?! We've been worried sickkkk!" The slur of his words and the red color to his face told me otherwise. Dad had been drinking again, and by the looks of things Mom had too. She was passed out on the couch, one arm slung over her eyes. She groaned at the light that had seeped through the crack of the door as I had walked in. _

_Dad leaned against the door he had closed, his hands wrapped around the neck of his beer bottle. "So? Where were you runt?" I kept my head down and answered as simply as I could. If I said too much he would immediately assume I was being a smart aleck. "Teacher wanted to see me, had me stay after class." He nodded, but I knew he didn't care. "Is that right, hmmm? I wonder what she wanted. Bet you screwed up again you worthless little girl. I can't believe we actually bother to keep you; you're nothing but a freak. I don't even see what why they let people like you waste our good clean air." He laughed at his own joke. He didn't care about anything that didn't involve money, alcohol, and just about anything illegal. "What did the broad want?" He leaned in and sneered at me. His look was completely frightening but it was nothing I hadn't seen before. I thought about telling him the truth, that I was smart and that my teacher felt I should embrace that and expand on it. But I knew better, he'd just get mad and do something that would make regret it later. _

"_You were right, I screwed up." His sneer grew and he leaned back, the smell of alcohol was thick and seemed to hang around him. "I'm always right, and you're nothing but a worthless little BRAT!" *SMACK* my head was twisted round and I gripped the side of my face. He laughed and shoved me backwards into the wall on his way to the fridge for more beer. I scurried up stairs as fast as I could, my head pounding from being hit and my arm going numb from having landed on it wrong after hitting the wall. _

_I limped to my room going as fast as I dared with out actually making it seem like I was escaping. Locking the door I slid down it, breathing heavy. I assessed the damage, found none of it worth sneaking to the drugstore for supplies for and then crawled to my bed to curl up into a ball and begin my homework._

Feeling something warm grasp my shoulder I sat up gasping for air. I had been lucky, that was one of my least frightening memories. Curling in on myself I looked around me for the source of the warmth. Looking up I saw Yuki and Kyo standing over me, their chests heaving like they had been running. They looked bothered, like they had seen something would rather have not.

I curled further into the tree, trying hard to disappear. Yuki stepped back, and Kyo took his place by my side. He reached out to touch the ears on top of my head, still clearly visible. I flinched, thinking he was going to hit me. Instead he lightly set his hand on top of my head and began to… pet me? He scratched my ears and I unconsciously moved into his touch. He gaze a small smile. "What did ya run away for? You thought a couple of kitty ears was going to make us send you away or something?" He was joking, but he was spot on. I didn't want to leave Tohru, and I for some odd reason didn't want to leave these either. If someone else had gained knowledge of my newest change I would have probably lost everything I had worked so hard to get. It had taken me years to get my mom to agree to this.

I nodded and his smile faltered for only a second. Then it was back, a playful grin that made me forget for what I had been worrying about. "Well your stupid then! I've had weirder things than you with my breakfast. Now come on back to the house before you hurt yourself out here." He offered a hand and pulled me to my feet. I looked at Yuki, worried that I had made him angry by leaving like I did. He smiled at me; his was a softer smile, less playful and teasing than Kyo's.

"I told you Ms. Jaden that you didn't need to be afraid of us. You are a friend of Ms. Honda's and therefore a friend of ours. We look out for our own. No matter if they do begin to resemble a kitten." That last line sounded odd coming from the Prince Yuki I had been introduced to at school, but it sounded like something the Yuki Tohru had talked about would say. I felt honored to know he really did accept me enough to share this side of him.

"Come on, it's getting dark and I want to get back before the sun sets. Oi! Give her a boost would ya you dumb rat?" Confused I watched as Yuki put either of his hands on my sides and lifted me up, I gave a small squeak in surprise. Before I knew it I was riding Kyo piggy back. The boys paused, waiting for something that they clearly didn't want to share to happen. I glanced around and saw no rabid raccoons or robbers prowling around, so I was at a loss as to what they were actually waiting for.

"Guess it wasn't a fluke huh?" Kyo muttered glancing back at me. I tilted my head at him, confused. He just shook his head and began to stride back towards the house. I felt so tall and he was moving very fast. "You're real light. You know that?" I nodded, blushing slightly and then bit my lip to try and stop it from happening. I always thought I was to thin, but you got make do with what you have. I had refused to pig out in front of my relatives, I didn't want to have to deal with the comments I knew he would provide. If I had to hear anything more from that man one of us was going to get hurt. If that happened I would probably have to leave.

Guess I was just going to have to learn to bite my tongue. "You need to eat more; I could carry five of you." I dropped my forehead on his shoulder, giving up. If even a complete stranger could tell me this then I would have to sacrifice my dignity and work on it. "Baka neko, that's rude. If you had any tact you would know that. I can't say I'm surprised though."

This began a whole new onslaught of insults. The two of them were funny; I see what Tohru meant about missing the fights. By the time we got back they had settled out and had simmered down to throwing out one word insults as they approached the back door.

"Idiot."

"Moron."

"Girly-man."

"Weakling."

"You take that back right now you little sissy faced rat-"He was cut off by Shigure sliding open the porch door. He stared for a moment at me on his back and I was too tired to even feel slightly embarrassed. I stared back blankly, meeting his gaze with a bored expression. The ears on my head tilted back and forward as I watched him.

"Oh you are just so cute! Come give Shigure a hug my little rose blossom!" He reached for me and both Yuki and Kyo cut him off, smacking his head and causing him to fall flat on the floor.

"**Stay away from her you pervert!" **The two of them synchronized their movements so perfectly it made me think they had a lot of practice. "So cruel, so selfish! The two of you are always keeping the beautiful flowers for yourself." He grinned up at them and I could feel the glares they were returning, from my place on Kyo's back.

"All joking aside the two of you should probably figure out what you are going to do with her. As much as I'm sure she would absolutely love to go home to her relatives I feel she should probably stay here until we figure out her situation involving the adorable animal additions." It was silent for a moment as I considered it. As much as I wanted to go back and check up on Tohru I knew that going as I am now would cause more trouble than anything else.

"We don't want to make you uncomfortable Ms. Jaden, but I think the idiot is right for once." I nodded in agreement and tightened my arms around Kyo's shoulders. "You're right. I need to tell Tohru where I am so that she doesn't worry. I at least need to tell Gramps." Shigure nodded, "Don't you worry your pretty little head over it. I'll take care of it. Kyo why don't you take her up to Tohru's room and let her get some rest." He didn't argue, only began carrying me up the stairs. Yuki followed behind leaving Shigure to call.

I normally would have protested to be put down by now, but I was just to tried to argue about anything. The boys brought me to a room that was very bright, obviously Tohru's old one. Kyo turned around and slowly lifted me off of his shoulders. They tucked me in, and suddenly felt like I was six again; at a sleepover with Tohru and that Kyoko was tucking us in after reading us our favorite story about the Zodiac animals.

I was quickly succumbing to dream land but was awake enough to have a at the time completely nonsensical epiphany of sorts. "Hmm, Tohru always did like the cat." Kyo's eyebrows rose, and there was a slight hiccup in his actions as he pulled the blanket up to my neck. I turned on my side instinctively curling into a tight ball to sleep. The warm blankets were all too comforting; they still smelled like Tohru, like her old house, like good memories. I smiled in my sleep. "Night-night, Onii-sans."

The boys paused in leaving the room. They looked at the girl lying before them, ears twitching in her sleep. They smiled to themselves and Kyo bent down to ruffle her hair. Yuki stood in the door way watching his normally brash cousin give off a protective big brotherly aura. "Sweet dreams, imouto." They slipped from the room leaving the girl to peaceful dreams clutching the blankets that reminded her so much of the home she knew and loved.

The boys came down stares to see Shigure hanging up the phone. "What did they say?" Yuki questioned his tone even, betraying nothing. Shigure scowled. "Her Uncle answered the phone; I can see exactly why she dislikes and distrusts him. The man is wretched. I said she had come over to ask about something involving school and he laughed and called her several names that I prefer not repeat. Let us just say that he thinks very little of her intelligence and more of her, 'personal assets.'" Kyo bristled, it was clear to his cousins that he had taken a liking to the girl who had stood up to him, but didn't completely make fun of him.

Yuki couldn't help but smile inwardly at the thought of his last words to the sleeping girl as they were tucking her in. Little sister eh? Kagura isn't going to like her.

"Thankfully her Grandfather intercepted the phone and I was able to hold a civil conversation. He said that it was fine if she stay with us." The boys nodded in agreement. Shigure hesitated, but then proceeded to tell of his conversation. "I told him she had tripped and hurt her ankle, from the way she was looking after that run through the woods that might not have been a complete lie. While I was at it I mentioned what she had come to us to really talk about.

He seemed to have thought as much, apparently he agrees. He suggested that we go ask if she wishes to come back personally." Shigure leaned back against the wall next to phone and crossed his arms. His eyes closed he gravely continued. "I also took it upon my self to suggest we look after Jaden as well." Yuki and Kyo waited, anxious to hear the answer. If Shigure hadn't brought it up they would have when they went to go see Tohru.

"He agrees that it is probably best. She wouldn't want to leave Tohru and if left alone with that man I'm sure you can imagine some of the possible out comes. None of the ones I came up with were pretty, and I'm a writer. I pride myself on my imagination, so that says something."

"So, should we tell her? Or should we wait until we ask Tohru?" Shigure tilted his head in consideration of Kyo's questions. "I say we wait, bring her along when you go to ask Tohru, she won't say yes until you get Tohru to agree." He turned towards the stairs and began to head towards his room.

"When we go? What are you planning on doing?" Yuki moved to cut him off, his eyes slit, not quite trusting his cousin with matters concerning the girls. After past experiences he knew as well as anyone that Shigure was very loyal to the head of the family, sometimes a little to loyal. "Yuki, you know we can't keep this from Akito forever." Kyo began to protest when Shigure shut him up with a look. "I'm not saying I'm going to tell him now. I need to talk to Hari' first. He needs to know, He'll decide if she concerns our family or not. It's best we not jump to conclusions anyway, if she doesn't belong to the curse the Akito should have any control over her."

Stiff as statues they watched him leave for his room for the night. They turned to face each other, the unease not hidden by their normally guarded personalities. "Tomorrow is going to be eventful isn't it Baka Neko?" Kyo stuffed his hands in his pockets and made his way to the back porch, no doubt to go hide away on the roof.

"You're probably right you Dumb Rat. But I sure hope it's the good kind."

Both stopped to stare at the moon, their thoughts thinking back to the two girls as different as the sun and the moon, the two girls that it didn't take a psychic to see that were slowly making their mark on their lives. The experience was going to be different for them who had never had anyone outside of their own family to care for, but somehow they knew it would be worth it.

**A/N: Okay, did not plan on this being this long so I hope everything ended up alright. Constructive criticism is always welcomed, as are reviews and favorites, but none are necessary of course. With lots of love from me to you I hope this chapter was up to or above your standards. Help me do better please! **

**-Rat**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Aww, Konekoko! Your review made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! ; )**

**I will do my best to live up to your expectations and keep things going as well as I can! Thank you to everyone else who said they liked mine and the put me on story alerts. Even the smallest things make me happy. I noticed I need to work on grammatical errors, I tried harder to keep them fro showing up in this chapter but I apologize in advance for the ones that I missed. Onwards towards the chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Jaden is mine and is all that is mine! (Sadly)**

3

I groaned as I rolled over in my sleep. I felt as if I had run a marathon the previous day. I reached over, looking for the watch I had laying on top of my bag which I had still not gotten around to unpacking. My hand felt something soft, a pillow. Something warm, hmmmmm, blankets… And then it felt open air. Confused I reached further and realized I could wave my hand a good foot or so around without hitting anything or anyone.

_That's not right…I sleep on the floor…_ It was then that I realized that the floor was much squishier than it ought to be. Shocked I sat up to find I was not on the floor in Arisa's bedroom. As I tried to get my bearings then events of the previous day came flooding back to me, a deluge of emotions making pull my legs up to my chin and wrap then blankets around me tighter.

I remembered Uncle slapping me, and coming to the Sohma's house. I remembered talking to them about bringing Tohru back where she belonged, and them seeing my scar. The thought of them actually caring about a complete stranger like me just because I was someone Tohru cared about, no, just because I was another human being like them, still made my chest tighten with inexpressible delight. Then I remembered the ears, and running through the forest.

I guess that explains why my legs felt like lead. Picturing cat ears on the top of my head I leaned over to look for a mirror. My hands flew to my scalp and began patting around for those fuzzy triangles that had caused me so much grief the day before. Not feeling them I was only slightly satisfied. I twisted out of the sheets to go look for a mirror in the bathroom when I gave a hiss. The cold floor was not good on my sock feet, and definitely not appreciated this early in the morning.

Not only was the floor cold but I felt my ankle protest as I attempted to stand. Examining it, I found I had most likely sprained it. If only I had had the sense to try and get my shoes back before attempting my escape last night. Oh well, I probably deserved it for thinking so little of Tohru's friends.

As I tried to stand again I had to sit back down immediately. By the looks of it the sprain was only a mild one and it would be healed before I knew it. But as of this moment, it was making sure I didn't forget about it as a sharp flash of pain ran through my leg as I hopped to my feet. Wincing I began making my way across the room. I had always been stubborn, and I most certainly was not going to let something as Lilliputian as _sprain_ keep me down.

When I reached the door I let my hand rest on it for a moment, deliberating on leaving the safety of my room. They might have been nice last night, but that didn't mean they couldn't have had a change of heart. Who am I kidding, this is pathetic. These are nice people that Tohru likes and respects. I should show them the same courtesy and trust them. Oh boy this is going to be fun…

Slowly the door was eased open by my still reluctant hand. I glanced up and down the hallway searching for signs of life. Finding everything quiet I headed out into the unknown. Cringing as I hobbled through the hallway I found the bathroom. Thankfully I had already found it last night otherwise I would have had to guess, and that could have ended badly.

The bathroom tile was colder than the floor in my room and gasped as my feet shuffled over it. Having finally acquired a mirror I inspected my rugged appearance. The ears were gone thankfully. But my bruise had gotten darker. Shigure had done a top notch job taking care of it, but I still looked more black and blue than tan-ish pale. "Ugh…This is going to be just lovely. You are possibly the luckiest girl in the whole world Jaden."

Sighing again I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to turn the tangled mess into something slightly more manageable. Kyo had stolen my hat yesterday so I would need to retrieve it back from him before I tried to actually appear presentable to the public eye. Doing an about face I very nearly ran into Yuki who had stumbled into the bathroom in a half sleeping stupor. Before either of us face planted though his quick reflexes managed to right us both.

"Ah, good morning Ms. Jaden. I'm sorry, but it appears I am not as awake as I should be at nine in the morning." I couldn't help the giggle that escaped at the sight of his unfocused lavender eyes. He seemed so much more regal when he was actually awake, it made me feel much better to know that even the Prince had his off moments.

"Not a problem Princeling, I was just getting up myself." Patting his shoulder I slipped past him and made my way down to the kitchen. When I reached the bottom of the stairs I heard growling and mocking laughter. "Apparently Shigure and Kyo are up at decent hour. I wonder if Yuki is always this tired in the mornings." Trying my best to limp as little as possible I made my way towards the table the two boys were seated at.

"Would you shut up about your stupid books? I don't want to hear another word about one of your perverted novel you sicko!" Kyo turned his head away from Shigure, crossing his arms in an attempt (a failed one) to control his anger. He looked over just in time to see me about to sit down. Unfortunately he was indeed much more observant that Yuki in the mornings and his eyes zeroed in on my swollen ankle.

"You''re hurt. Sit down and go grab some ice." He bolted up from his spot nearly knocking me over with his sudden movements. I fell to the ground in a graceful heap as I watched him leave. "Oh, don't you mind him. He seems to have taken an interest in you that's all." Shigure's eyes took on a dreamy look as he stared out side, "It's not everyday someone is able to accept him so quickly."

I was about to question why anyone would have trouble accepting him when a hand came down on top of Shigure's raven hued mess of hair. The harsh blow seemed to stun him and he gasped and rubbed his aching head. "Would you shut up and mind your own business. You are so annoying. Sometimes I think your worse than that stupid rat!"

Kyo made his way back to his seat beside me at the table and reached for my foot. Obediently I lifted it up and laid it across his lap. He put the bag of ice he had gotten from the kitchen on it as he inspected it.

"You should have told us you had gotten hurt last night." I shrugged my shoulders. "If I had noticed I would have, might have, now that I think about I probably wouldn't have honestly." I grinned at him cheekily and he hung his head in defeat. "Shigure told you Grandpa that you had hurt your ankle when he called him last night."

Reaching over he gave me a flick to the head. "That didn't mean you had to go and do it for real." I pouted and stuck my tongue out at him. Glaring and acting more like his shoe size that his age he stuck his out as well.

"Well isn't this just adorable." I bright flash went off and both Kyo and I blinked stupidly at each other. Realizing at almost the exact same time we glared at the culprit. Shigure stood in the doorway. Apparently some time between him getting knocked in the head by Kyo and Kyo flicking me in the head he had retrieved a camera and a sleepy eyed Yuki. Yuki's eyebrow was raised and he was suppressing a grin.

Realizing that my tongue was still hanging out of my mouth I pulled it back in, reflexively pulling my knees to my chest at the sight of others. This action apparently did not bode well with either Kyo or my ankle. I cringed as the pain spiked uncomfortably. "Would you quit that?! You need to ice your ankle to reduce the swelling and you can't do that if you keep fidgeting." He flicked my head again and this time I had the sense not to protest. Resting my foot back in his lap I apologized.

"Sorry, they surprised me." Shigure snickered but said nothing more as he settled down. He strategically placed himself as far away from Kyo as possible. But that didn't stop the deadly glare Kyo was giving him from chilling the room. I swear the temperature dropped twenty degrees in the room. The hair on the back of my neck was standing on end, until Yuki cut in bringing me out of my fear ridden thoughts.

"Good to see you Ms. Jaden. Now that I am properly awake that is. But it appears you are not as well off as you should be." I shrugged, rubbing the back of my head. "Yeah, turns out you really ought to wear shoes when running through the woods like a mad man. Kyo doesn't seem to worried and I think it's just a sprain. Nothing to bother about." Yuki nodded and then smiled somewhat bitterly.

"Even then I am sorry you had to get hurt." I shook my head at him, smiling at his needless apologies. The boys had a look on their faces as if they wished to protest over something, not that I would know what that was, but none of them spoke. I comfortable silence fell over us as Kyo removed the ice pack, the swelling was much better. It hadn't been terrible to start with in my opinion, but if icing it made Kyo feel better then fine.

He moved on to wrapping my ankle with a bandage. Yuki settled down as well, propping his head on his hands. He tilted his head in my direction, his messy mop of hair falling at an angle framing his face. "Ms. Jaden, we were going to go ask Ms. Honda if she wished to come stay with us again." My breathing slowed and I stared straight at him, his lavender hued eyes meeting mine head on as I searched his features for any hint of jesting.

"We thought we would ask if you wished to come with us to ask her, but seeing as you have had an…_unpleasant_…interaction with some of the occupants at your grandfather's house, we understand if you would rather stay away." I blinked stupidly for the second time that day. They were asking me if I wanted to go back to Gramp's house with them to ask Tohru to come here… as nice as it was that they we're giving me an option to stay here while they did so, it seemed like that would just be bothering them more…and delaying the inevitable.

I shook my head, the corner of my lips turning up unsurely. "Thanks, but no thanks. I'll have to go back eventually. I don't see any reason to put off what can't be helped. I'll come." As I finished my sentence Kyo tied off the bandage, giving it more if a yank than was considered comfortable.

Following his tense shoulders up to his face I saw his eyes were narrowed at the floor. His jaw was set and it was obvious that something that had been said had upset him. "Kyo? Is everything ok?" I reached over to touch his shoulder when he sat back, leaving the range of my touch. "Yep, just perfect." Despite his miffed demeanor his lightly removed my foot from its previous resting place in his lap, settling it on the floor gently. He stalked out of the room heading for the back porch.

I watched him go, confused. Looking at Yuki for an explanation I found little to help me. "Did I say something wrong?" Yuki ceased his mild glaring at Kyo's retreating form to smile apologetically at me. "Don't worry about it Ms. Jaden. He's just a moody cat, you never quite know what to expect from him." Though the cat reference threw me for a loop I decided to go with the flow.

Yuki and I hadn't had breakfast yet so we scrounged something from Shigure's already massive pile of leftovers. We ate in companionable silence, neither of us wanted to break the spell that was keeping everything in order, everything place. By some unspoken signal we both knew that as soon as we set out things would go down hill. Neither of us wanted to be the cause of the break in tranquility, but both of us knew someone had to.

I sat staring into the backyard, my thoughts wandering. As I watched a stray cat run after a squirrel I couldn't help but be remembered of Kyo's rather odd nickname. Yuki's as well. Sure Kyo seemed somewhat cat like in behavior, but how was the Princeling a rat? No matter which angle I took I couldn't come up with any kind of explanation besides an unfortunate childhood story that I would have to either pry from their lips or bribe from Shigure. By his free flowing and somewhat mysterious attitude I was certain if anyone was going to be bribed to tell it would be Shigure.

_I'll have to bother him one day…to bad Uncle probably isn't going to let me out of the house after this. _I was definitely going to miss these boys, even though I had only just met them all I felt some weird connection to them. It felt like I was meant to be near them for some strange, unusual, and dare I say supernatural reason.

It was then that I decided that no matter what my _dear Uncle_ decided to do with me I would find away to stay near these strange alluring boys. Looking to the sky I watched the clouds roll by. The bandage on my foot was uncomfortable, but was no where near as sore as my face felt. With a sudden start I realized what I was doing. I was stalling; I knew that as soon as I left with the boys in order to try and talk Tohru into coming _home,_ I would in turn give up the place I had unconsciously been carving out for myself here. With a sigh I steeled myself.

I promised to take care of her, so that's what I'll do. Groaning I stood, still unsteady on my sore ankle after having been forced off of it for the majority of the day. Yuki looked up from the book he had been reading. His lavender met my ice blue and it was agreed.

"We should go and get your 'flower' back, right?" For some odd reason his eyes seemed sad when I said that. I shrugged it off as a trick of the light. The boy had promised me that he truly did want Tohru back in their lives. All of them had. I was going to go out on a limb here and trust them. I told myself I would regret this later, but I couldn't stop the hope for what they said to be true from taking over my better judgment.

"Come on Princeling, let's go get Kyo and go get your girl. It's time Tohru came home. He stood up slowly, but walked over to retrieve my hand. He took hold of it like it was made of glass, fragile and delicate. He wound his fingers though mine, the troubled look lessening for one that was determined. He had a purpose now, it was clear.

"You are right Ms. Jaden, It's time to bring our little family home." We walked outside, slipping on shoes as we left and calling Kyo down from his rooftop over our shoulders. Time to bring her home.

It took longer than it ought to have, but that was my fault. I was limping, but because the boys didn't want to risk anything having to do with unusual animal appendages or features they tried to refrain from doing anything that they could relate to the first time my feline features had reared their unexpected head.

That meant I was left to limp on my own, and even thought I told them to go on with out me (rather dramatically, hand motions, old English references that were very nearly lost on the two, and much hair flipping), all I got was a flick on the nose and a "No way, we're not going to leave a cripple alone in the middle of the street. You could barely outrun a snail, let alone anyone who's looking for trouble." Yuki agreed with the hot headed teen and I was stuck trying to limp at mach speed so as not to slow our trek down any more than need be.

We did finally get there though. The house looked fine. Quiet, calm, even borderline adorable. But appearances are almost always deceiving. Kyo's fists balled up at his sides as he stared at the door. Yuji was more passive with his emotions, but this was not the charming disposition I had come to expect after only a day or two. He was serious now.

I knocked on the door, but didn't hear anyone. The cars were all in the drive way so I was rather confused, but I figured that they were just to lazy to open the door. I bent down and took the key that was hidden in the flower pot and unlocked the door. Quietly we skulked into the house. I heard voices from the kitchen and walked, well shuffled, to get closer with out alerting the rooms occupants. Kyo and Yuki seemed to have the same idea, seeing as they followed behind me.

Leaning in I heard Arisa's grating voice make some comment about Tohru living in house with boys. I felt my blood boil and her idiocy, Yuki put a restraining hand on my shoulder but I could feel him quiver as well. Leaning in closer I heard Uncle begin to talk. He was worse than Arisa! I had just begun to elbow my way into the room when a slap resounded across the room. Gramps had just put that vile man in his place.

I was reveling in the thought of the tables having been turned so I missed the next few words that had passed. I came back to planet Earth just in time to hear Tohru say that she wanted to live with the Sohmas, with Yuki and Kyo and Shigure. Kyo slipped past and said as much as needed to be said.

"If you want to come home, then come home. No ones stopping you." Tohru's eyes teared up and she began to waiver. She obviously wanted to leave with the boys, but her good natured need to not be a bother was holding her back. I walked up and softly knocked her on her head. She bent down in surprise and looked at me.

"Sweetie, go with them. You want to, and they want you back too." I smiled at her, leaning up to rest my forehead on hers.

She smiled and nodded. Looking at Kyo who had been hovering in the back, clearly uncomfortable. "I want to go back, but I don't know if I should leave after everything that Granpda has done for me..." I watched the boy process the information. He nodded and then reached up to grab he around the head and began hauling her out of the door. "Good, come on, let hurry back before Shigure does something stupid."

Tohru tripped as he pulled her out of the house, but she simply smiled and turned back to wave at Gramps and me. I waved back, the jealous feeling dying down at the sight of her blissful expression. I forced my self to face my 'family'. Uncle was scowling at me, not at all pleased with having lost his maid. He knew I was to blame somehow and I could see the wheels turning in his head as he contemplated all of the ways he could make my life miserable.

_Bring it on…Try and come up with something I can't handle..._ Determined to outlast him I set my jaw and began to limp up the stairs with out speaking to him. I was about to pass Gramps when he threw out a hand to stop me. Confused I glanced down at him. His smiling expression was odd for such a situation. "Where do you think you're going?" The man obviously knew something I didn't.

"What do you mean…Gramps?" Yuki called my attention from his spot across the room. "Ms. Jaden, you didn't actually think we were going to make you stay here did you?" He smiled at me like I was a child, and for the second time in week I felt more like one than I ever had. "I already explained this, we look after our own." He held out a hand, offering to take me back. I was flabbergasted, to think some one would actually want me to stay with them. My own family had made it clear they were only letting me stay in their house because they had no real choice in the matter.

I looked down at Gramps, he was smiling like a mad man, chuckling. I narrowed my eyes at him, the glare of course was ruined by the ends of my mouth twitching up int a grin. "You knew about this, didn't you." He chuckled again but shook his head. He was a terrible liar. "Oh, no. I had no clue at all. But, I do approve completely." He wrapped his hand around my arm that was reaching for the hand rail on the stairs. He turned me around and let me to stand beside Yuki. Putting our hands together he gave us a light shove towards the door. Surprised I realized that both mine and Tohru's bags had already been packed and were sitting next to the entry way.

I bit my lip, suppressing the Cheshire sized grin that was threatening to over whelm my small face. Of course the moment was ruined by Uncle. "What do you think you're doing! You're just going to let those two run out with a bunch of boys. They're a bunch of sluts! They're just going to come crawling back when they screw them selves over with their own idiotic choices and your going to have no one to blame but yourself!"

Gramps didn't have to slap him this time, the words Yuki said stung worse than any physical blow could ever hope to. "You are not to speak of Ms. Honda or Ms. JAden in such an inappropriate fashion ever again. After what you did you have no room to talk of what is appropriate and what is not. You disgust me." Yuki leaned towards him, his grip on my hand tightening protectively.

"To think that you are considered a man." His voice was low, and cold. I had thought Kyo's glare from earlier was capable of sinking the warmth from a room, Yuki seemed to be able to suck the life right out of him.

Deciding it was best to ignore the foolish man I gave my Gramps a hug and a kiss. "Thank you." I whispered softly. He chuckled again and shook his head. "Anything for my girls." Waving good bye to my dumbfounded relatives I helped Yuki carry the luggage out side, against his many protests of course.

As we walked down the side walk, catching up Tohru and Kyo I pulled his hand so he would look down at me. "Yuki, thank you." His eyes seemed to laugh at me and rubbed his thub across the back of my hand. "Anything for our little sister.."

He winked and I laughed aloud. Tohru and Kyo turned around at the sound of my laugh, I hadn't meant to laugh as loud as I had, but I had gotten their attention nonetheless. Yuki slowly joined me, his laugh not nearly as boisterous, but it was nice to hear all the same. Tohru's smile put us all to shame though as she ran towards us. She tackled me with a hug and I nearly fell, Yuki and Kyo managed to pull us up though with minimal injuries.

Tohur took Kyo's hand and I took hers, the Princeling never let go of mine. We walked home like that. Hands linked in a chain, all of us either grinning or laughing. Tohru smiled at me and it wasn't until then that she noticed my face. "Oh Jaden! What happened to you!" Her worry over me coupled with all of the other emotions that were drowning me just made me grin even bigger, despite fact that all of this smiling was making my face hurt even worse.

"Nothing that matters any more Tohru. Nothing at all." I smiled, gigleing as I wrapped my arms around her shoulders. She seemed confused, but let it go at the sight of the Sohma house came into view. Shigure stood outside, a smile on his own face at the sight of all four of us. Tohru and I were so happy at having come back to the one place that was home, the one place that both of us new we would always have friends waiting for us at, we called out a waved our arms wildly at him.

"We're home!!!!" 

Putting our shoes outside we all crowded around the table. Shigure smirked at me and Tohru, his grin teasing. "So the flowers have returned! Our little Lilly Tohru and Jaden our Rose Blossom! I can feel the place brightening up as we speak." Kyo and Yuki glared at him, but Tohru and I giggled at the silly nick names. Easing myself up and made my way over to him, knocking his head along the way to the kitchen.

"That's all well and fine, just remember that roses have thorns. We wouldn't want you getting pricked no would we." We rubbed his head in mock pain and went on about how cruel the little Rose bud was being and how I needed some pruning before I could bloom to my fullest. I rolled my eyes as Kyo leaned over to deliver a nasty blow as Yuki reprimanded him for being so rude.

Looking at Kyo and Shigure wrestling on the floor I glanced at Yuki. He appeared content to watch Kyo attempt to murder the Shigure whilst he called an assortment of names, most having to do with some form of 'dumb dog.' There went those odd nicknames again. I wonder what those are for? "I'm going to make dinner, what do you guys want.

Shigure managed to twist out of Kyo's deathgrip and fling him outside wich was a miraculous feat that would later cost him dearly I am quite certain. "Oh that would be just lovely of you! What ever you wish is going to be loved and appreciated by us no doubt at all." He smiled and threw his arms out dramatically. "Alas, whilst the flowers were away we were cursed to eat nothing but tasteless food that had not a single ounce of heart or love put into the making of it. Kyo refused to cook and Yuki could burn water, I myself was much to busy so we have been straving our selves on the flavorless sustenance known only as _take out_." Tohru stood up after his overly dramatic and entirely unneeded monologue had finished.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry. Here Jaden, I'll help you make dinner. We'll make feast in celebration of everyone being together again." Shigure's eyes danced in anticaption of the mountain of food Tohru would insist on making.

"You girls are much too good to us!" About the time he began ranting about how wonderful Tohru and I were and that we made the most adorable cooks ever to walk the earth (seriously? I know the man's a writer, but something tells me I would most like not want to read the kinds of things he writes). At about the time he had started on top of his soap box Kyo and come back through the back door.

He was giving off a deadly aura, and his eyes helf a fury known to no mortal man that ever wished to see the light of day again. Shigure was not aware of this as he had began talking about buying Tohru and me matching aprons to wear. Yuki raised a hand in a half hearted attempt to stop him, but Kyo had a goal in mind. Yuki let him go without trying and just settled back to watch.

"I'm gonna kill you, you idiotic DOG!" Shigure let lose a scream that one should never hear come from anyone of the male persuasion. I leaped to try and evaded Kyo and managed to fall right on top of me. We landed on the ground with a great big *THUD*. The room became silent as Kyo stood there twitching as he saw the rather awkward position SHigure and I had landed in. Yuki sighed and came over to try and free me, and Tohru stood there dumbfounded.

I looked up at Shigure to see him staring at me, his eyes wide with wonder. Yuki pulled him off of me. Once I was free they both stopped and stared at me again. I tilted my head to the side confused. As I did so I felt something ontop of my head flop down. Curious I reached up to feel floppy leathery skin. I groaned.

"Not again!" I ran to the bathroom and stared in the mirror. Instead of fuzzy triangular cat ears, I had floppy dog ears! My eyes had changed again too. Instead of the blue that I was familiar with staring back at me in my reflection, I saw dark eyes that reminded me of someone else I knew. Sighing I reached up to touch them again, still somewhat hesitant to do so. They were soft. I turned this way and that, experimenting. Because I knew the boys weren't going to kick me out on the street I took the time to play with my newest addition.

Narrowing my eyes I strained to listen to something behind me, to hear if the boys we're saying anything abut me to Tohru. I watched fascinated as my new ears perked up and swiveled in the direction of the kitchen. "They are actually, kind of cool. I guess."

Accepting them I made my way out of the bathroom, trying to come up with something to say to Tohru. _How am I going to explain this._

As I walked into the room I was expecting to have question thrown at me, to be bombarded by my cousin seeking answers. Instead I received something very far from that, something completely un expected.

"Oh my Gosh! Jaden you look so adorable!" Tohur tackled me with another hug and then proceeded to begin playing with my ears. _Not what I was expecting…_ Scanning the rooms other occupants I saw Yuki staring at me in slight wonder and KYo shaking his head. Shigure walked over to Tohru and me and bent down to stare me in the eyes. It was then that I realized why the eyes in the mirror had seemed so familiar to me. They were Shigure's eyes.

He put a hand on my head and began petting me. I glared at him but he didn't stop. "She's right you know," A smirk twisted his mouth into a mocking grin as he began to pull me ears as well. "You really do make an adorable little pup." Having nothing better to say to him, I blew a raspberry at him. He flicked my nose.

"Now. Now puppy, that wasn't very mature at all. Don't make me get the newspaper." Tohru giggled at that one and resumed her petting. I sat there and took it as Kyo came over and began yelling at Shigure again for being a nuisance.

_I got the cat ears after I hugged Kyo, when Shigure hugged me I got dog ears and his eyes…maybe it's a coincidence, maybe…_

I had an idea. Standing up I walked past the arguing boys over to Yuki. He didn't seem to notice me, to busy fussing at his cousins for acting like imbeciles. _Now or never Jaden._ I reached up and wrapped my arms around Yuki, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Ms Jaden?" He seemed to instinctively shy away, much like the first time I had met him. Tohru shot up. "Jaden your ears!" Shigure and Kyo stopped quarreling and faced the two of us as well. Yuki looked down at me, the look of astonishment on his face twice what it was earlier. "Ms. Jaden you've got…" I reached up and felt to small circles where my puppy ears had been only moments before. "A rat right? Just like your nicknames." I pointed to each respective male as I said their animals. "Cat. Rat. Dog. I only get the ears and other things when I hug one of you three." I walked back to the bathroom and saw that along with a rat's ears I had gained the same color eyes as the Princeling. "It's you guys! I figured it out! The reason I change is when I hug one of you guys!" I hollered my epiphany as I ran back to kitchen.

They all were staring at each other warily when I came back. I had been smiling, but it fell when I caught the look on their faces. "What's wrong? I figured it out, that doesn't mean you have to get all mopey." Kyo growled. "I'm not 'mopey', it's great you figured it out. Now what?"

"What do you mean now what?" He seemed really angry all of a sudden, a minute ago he was fine, grumpy, but from what I had heard from Tohru and observed for myself that was normal for the orange top. He let out a hiss that was very similar to something that a feline would let lose when something stepped on its tail. _I understand the name now._

"So you know what is makes you change, you know how to fix it! You just need to stay away from us and then your fine right." Suddenly it all became clear to me. Looking at Yuki and Shigure I could see they were thinking the same thing, they were just keeping to themselves.

"You have got to be kidding me." I walked up to Kyo and I saw him stiffen, that didn't stop me though. I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling him as close to me as possible. By his flabbergasted expression I could tell that he was not used to this sort of thing, nor had he expected it from me.

"If you think I'm going to blame you guys for this, or that I would give up everything that you have offered me just so that I could be sure I never look like some freaky hybrid again then you are severely misguided." I spoke into his black shirt, my face pressed against his side. "I'm being selfish. I'm being really selfish wanting to stay with my cousin and look after her. I'm being selfish wanting to stay with you guys. But I've been unselfish for most of my life." Lifting my head to playfully glare up at the orange headed teen I finished. " And I am not going to let the fact that I look like more of a freak than normal when you guys hug me stop me."

His own glare softened and he set one of his hands on top of my head, scratching the kitty ears that had appeared. He slowly scratched and I couldn't help but purr. The sound must have been funny because he snickered, then chortled, then he was on the floor laughing.

I looked to see if the others were still being as gloomy, of course they were. _These people need to learn to lighten up…I'm better at it than them, and that says something._

Sliding up next to Yuki I began pawing at his mess of her like a real cat would. I managed a smile out of him. Shigure was easy; all I had to do was meow playfully before his mood lightened up.

Not to forget my dear cousin, even though she had been the only one who hadn't been acting glum, merely slightly confused. I pounced on her and began playing with the ribbons in her hair. She laughed and suddenly we were four and five, chasing each other around her house. We were playing tag and I was it. I always would pounce instead of tag and we would both go toppling down to the floor, laughing the whole way down.

By then everyone was on the ground laughing. We stayed on the floor, everyone staring at the ceiling as our guffaws died down to contented sighs. Tohru smiled her cheerful dopey grin that made everyone she met melt. "It's nice to have everyone together again." Yuki smiled. "It is Ms. Honda."

I stretched and then curled up on my side to look at the people laying down next to me. "Thank you, for being so nice. It's nice to have a family." And that was how we stayed for the rest of the night, eventually we must have passed out, because that was were we woke up in the morning as well. Though we all felt stiff having slept on the hard floor all night in the strangest positions, it was one of the best nights of my life.

It was the third night in a row I slept the whole way through without a single nightmare. I wonder how long that is going to last. With the first people I had ever really and truly felt the desire to care about surrounding me, I couldn't care less about my nightmares. Because I knew these people would do their best to keep them from coming true.

**A/N: Okay, not sure about this one so I would love some feed back. I felt I needed to use this chapter to set things up and everything, so the next ought to be more exciting. I hope you enjoyed it! Lots of love from me to you!**

**-Rat**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Heyo! I loved every single review I got last chapter! I promise to try and update as often as I can. I feel like I am kind of neglecting my other story, but I am having a more productive creative flow for this one. Down the rabbit hole to chapter 4!**

**Disclaimer: I only own Jaden; everything else belongs to someone much more influential than me…. Darn.**

4

We had been staying with the Sohams for about a week now, and we had already fallen into a routine of sorts. In the mornings Kyo and I would almost always be the first ones up at around five in the morning. He would go train outside and I would start breakfast. Tohru would come running down the stairs at six apologizing for not having woken up and started breakfast. We were slowly breaking her of that habit, but it was a _very_ slow process. Yuki would come stumbling down the stairs about a half hour before school starts and Kyo would begin their morning argument. Shigure would walk in at random times throughout the daily schedule, almost always to find some part of his home utterly destroyed.

That was how things went. Shigure had said he had consulted his family doctor and had forbidden me from going to school until I had had a week to settle in and rest. I of course had protested. "Come on Shigure! I'll have nothing to do for a whole week!" He had shaken his head in mock sympathy and had pulled me close to his chest, my dog ears had flipped backwards and a growl had low growl had been let loose. "Oh, don't you worry your pretty little head my little pup, Uncle Shigure we'll be here to keep you company. We'll find something fun to do together."

His statement had earned him a head slap from both Kyo and Yuki, but I still had to stay home. Yuki thought I wouldn't want to try hobbling around with my still hurt ankle, and Kyo said I wouldn't want to have to keep explaining my shiner. In the end I had conceded. To give the pervert credit though, he did keep me company.

"Do you have any threes?"

"…Go fish."

"Darn it! You never have anything I need Shigure! That it the twentieth time you've beaten me this week." I threw the cards on the table and pointed an accusing finger at him. "You have got to be cheating! I have only won twice!" He brought his hand to his mouth snickering. His sleeves flopped around as he spoke; gesturing wildly even thought there wasn't really a need to.

"Would I ever do such a horrendous thing my dear sweet Jaden? Of course not! I would never do something as low down as stacking the deck or hiding cards now would I? To think you would even insinuate such a thing. It hurts, it really does." By know he had struck an overly dramatic pose, and the lights had seemed to dim, framing his person in an oddly romantic light.

Shaking my head I reached over and opened the back door. His mood lighting ruined he returned to his spot at the table reading his paper while drinking the tea he has every afternoon. "Now that that matter has been settled, you know what you have to do. We made a bet now you have to carry it out." I grit my teeth and glared at him.

"No way! You cheated!" He smirked at me. "I cheated? Who's the one who got caught switching decks on the third round? And who was it who tried to put laxatives in the cookies she was making so she could switch cards without a problem during the eighteenth round?" My glare faltered and I stepped back, crossing my arms.

"So just because you never got caught it makes what you did okay." The sarcasm was thick and my tone made it quite clear _just_ what I thought about him at this particular moment. "Mhmm!" His chipper tone left me with whiplash. He can go from blackmailing me to smiling like a fool. This man is clearly dangerous.

He wagged a finger at me as he sipped his tea. "We agreed, first one to twenty wins won. And you lost. So you better go fulfill your part of the bargain." Though he smiled while he said I could quite clearly hear the underlying threat. Throwing my hands up in defeat I stalked out of the room, growling about hound dogs with no love life.

About three hours later Tohru, Kyo and Yuki were home from school. "We're home! Shigure!! Jaden! How was your day?" I could hear the smile in Tohru's voice, and it just made me grimace even worse. _I can't believe he talked me into this. *Sigh* Anyway, a bet's a bet… I am never going to live this down._

"We're in my office Tohru! Why don't you bring the boys in here, I want to show them something." The stupid dog's voice gave me the urge to throttle him, but I was forced to over ride that desire. "What the heck do you want you dumb dog? Where's Jaden…" Kyo's voice faded out as he opened the door and he stood there staring like an idiot.

I let out a hiss. "Quit starring." I resumed my task of alphabetizing Shigure's massive collection of books and novels. Yuki stepped out from behind Kyo only to stop and stare in much the same fashion. I could feel my face heating up. "Isn't she just adorable? I have a matching one if Tohru would like to wear one, oh and then you two would be so cute together." I tried my hardest to studiously ignore him.

"Shigure… Why on earth is Jaden wearing a French maid's outfit?" I turned around to see this. Yuki and Kyo had him pinned to the wall; a deadly aura seemed to fill the room. I sighed, despite having the urge to hurt the hound I didn't want the two of them to do something they would regret-, well I didn't want them to kill him.

"We made a bet, I won and he would have to shut up for a whole week. He won and I had to organize his book shelves wearing a maid's outfit." They gripped his kimono tighter; he was dangling in their grasp. "You cheated didn't you." He waved his hand in the air noncommittally. "No matter, a bet is a bet after all. You can't honestly say you don't thin she's cute. He wiggled out of their clutches to come over and hug me with a puppy dog look on his face.

"I mean just look at her." As he hugged me my ears appeared, and they drooped to the sides of my head as I kept up a blank expression. I watched as the boys went from glaring to blushing. "And think about it. I have another one! Wouldn't Tohru look just as cute?" Now Kyo was the same color as a tomato and Yuki was holding his head in his hands. I looked at Tohru, but she was just standing on the sidelines a happy smile on her face. "You look really cute Jaden! I always said you would look adorable in a dress."

The sound of Tohru's voice seemed to snap Kyo out of his Shiugre-esque fantasies.

"Dumb hentai! Get your hands off of her and quit saying that kind of stuff about Tohru." He pulled me away from him. Yuki shook his head in shame at his cousin's actions. "I still can't see how they haven't locked you up yet. Where did you even get a French maids outfit anyway?" Shigure broke out into a silly grin. "Why, from Aya of course! Once he heard about the girls staying here he's offered to make all sorts of things for them. He even mentioned wanting to come by for a visi-"

"If you even let him walk through these doors I will rip your throat out and use it to make soup." I patted Yuki on the shoulder. "Now, now Yuki, you know you couldn't make soup if you tried." An evil glint showed in my eyes as I glared at Shigure. "I however will have no trouble."

Chuckling nervously Shigure slipped out of the room, no doubt running of to hide from the wrath of the boys. Yuki had managed to control his temper up until those last few comments about whoever Aya was. Kyo however had been simmering in the corner, just waiting for a reason to kick his rear end till kingdom come.

"Thank you both. I had just about finished organizing, but I had no clue how I was going to be able to take of this ridiculous costume with out having to fight him off with a metal bat." I looked up and smiled at them, they both turned away, refusing to look at me. I decided to let that past, though their actions slightly confused me.

"How was school today Tohru? Shigure says I can go tomorrow." Her face brightened and she began hopping up and down squealing like a little girl. "Oh my gosh! That's great. Hana and Uo are coming to spend the night tomorrow so it's going to be great and so much fun." Laughing with her I hopped over to pounce on Kyo, riding him piggy back. "Tomorrow I get to bother you all day long, isn't that going to be great Kyo!" He refused to look at me and grunted in response.

"Kyo? What's wrong?" He grunted and pulled me off of his shoulders, setting me on the ground. I had to crane my neck to see his face which he was stubbornly keeping out of my line of sight. Scowling I pulled on his arm. "Oi! What's your problem?"

His grimace tightened and he risked a glance down at me. "Would you just go and change clothes already! I can't take you seriously in that get up. You look so…so frilly, like some little girl!" So that's what the problem is.

"What, you have a problem with my outfit?" I hugged his arm close to me, rubbing the palm of his hand across my cheek. He shivered and yanked his arm away.

"Stop that! You are definitely going to school tomorrow. All this time with Shigure has got to be rotting your brain cells." His reaction made me giggle, but I complied. "You're probably right. I had to stop myself yesterday when I found myself reading some of the books from his more…personal collection." Kyo held his head in his hands and moaned in internal agony, pointing towards the stairs. "Go. Change. _Now_."

Towing Tohru along behind me I made it to our bedroom to change into decent clothes. "I can't wait until school tomorrow! It's going to be so much fun. Now we can study together, and spend so much more time together." Tohru rambled on about all of the tings we could do now that I was getting to go to school. I couldn't say I wasn't excited to be getting out of the house, but I couldn't help feeling anxious. I was good at school; class work came easy to me. Socializing however, not so much. I had never liked large groups of people.

Tohru plopped down next to me on the bed and grabbed my hands away from my hair. I had been trying to braid it back, and was having absolutely no luck. It was getting to be a hassle to handle and I was debating on cutting it. Tohru began plaiting my hair, much better than I had ever been able to manage. "I meant to ask you earlier, but I never found the time. Are you going to be okay with going to school with us?" I blinked and turned around to look her in the eye. She grinned lopsidedly and apologized. "I'm sorry; I know you can handle anything Jaden. You're the best at taking care of yourself, taking care of me too. But you've always had trouble in school, more than me even." Tohru was being abnormally open with her personal views.

"I'll be fine Tohru. I'll have Kyo and Yuki to bother, and Uo and Hana seemed nice." She seemed to except that and finished my braid. Standing up we trotted off to go work on dinner. School was going to be a new challenge, but I was positive I could handle it. _I've survived this far, how much worse can it get…_

Apparently, it could get much worse. I was used to being ignored, disliked, and even a little bit feared. After the first day I had walked through these doors to have girls glaring at me left and right for hanging onto and talking to their Yuki, I was convinced I would be receiving a less than friendly welcome. I was wrong. According to Hana, my appearance in the girl's uniform with my hair braided back by Tohru, (the braids accompanied by her signature ribbons) made me too adorable to be disliked by the average female student. I had insisted on wearing a hat to school, just in case something should happen and I would need it. Yuki had agreed on the condition I wore it correctly while in the school building. Begrudgingly I was wearing my favorite cap with its bill facing forwards. Even with the dark colored cap on my head I still looked pathetic in my eyes.

The fact that Tohru had insisted on holding hands and swinging our arms as we walked, singing whatever song came to mind as we walked just like we used to do when we went to school growing up wasn't helping me appear any more mature either.

_Stupid braids, stupid ribbons, and stupid sailor looking uniform that makes me feel like some little Miss Priss! I'm already really short, now I look like I'm some __ten year old__playing dress up in her big sister's uniform._ I grimaced internally while singing the chorus to Dark Blue by Jacks Mannequin. I was very fond of music in every shape and form, and had introduced Tohru to as much as possible whenever I got the chance.

"Oh look at her, she is so cute! Is she the new student?" Poorly hidden whispers followed our footsteps as we walked to class. "She is so adorable, but is she really old enough for high school?" "I heard she skipped a grade, that she's some kind of kid genius."

So the rumors had started already. I was once again the freaky kid genius, oh joy.

Instead of dwelling on that thought, I decided to distract myself. "Tag! You're it Kyo! Race you to the classroom!" Slapping my hand against the back of his shoulder, I snagged his bag as I passed him, sticking my tongue out at him. "Hey, give that back! You don't even know where we're going!"

Ignoring him, I ran off in the direction the map they had offered to me had said my new homeroom was located. Kyo yelled at me but began to chase me. I had forgotten that he was an expert in martial arts, and therefore not a slowpoke. It took every ounce of my power to stay even inches out of his grasp. I weaved in and out of people, pulling them behind me and twirling around them as I ran.

"You give that back runt!" Even though he was yelling I could see a glimmer in his eye as he dodged kids left and right. He liked roughhousing with someone that wouldn't change if he hugged them, and weren't constantly kicking his butt because they were much more skilled than him. I couldn't fight as well as Yuki, but I wrestled with the best of them.

Just as I was nearing the door of our homeroom I tripped, no, was _pushed_ into the path of three girls. Stumbling back so that I wouldn't face plant I looked up to see the faces of my newest antagonists.

"Who are you supposed to be?" They cringed backwards, moving in near perfect unison. It made me wonder if they spent nights planning these kinds of things for what ever scenario they could come up with.

"We are the Prince Yuki fan club. And you have become a threat to Prince Yuki. It is our job to be certain you follow the rules regarding the Prince." Oh, these were the maniacs I had heard about from Yuki and Tohru. Crossing my arms may not have made me seem all that more imposing, but it made me feel better. I gave them a leveled stare and tilted my head up at them with my most bitter smile twisting my features to something less sweet and something more…sinister. At least that was what I was attempting. It is very hard to appear even remotely frightening while dressed up like a sailor in a skirt.

"Rules you say? If there is something I should have known before starting my day here, I am certain that Yuki would have told me. But if he's made a mistake, then please, inform me what rules I seem to have broken." It seemed I had managed to achieve a reaction that was at least close to the initially desired one. They shrank in there imposing demeanor, and then main air head's lackeys slunk off behind their 'fearless' leader.

"The Prince doesn't make mistakes. The Prince Yuki fan club's job is to protect the Prince. That means there are rules that must be followed.

1. Do not steal the Prince's private property

2. Do not enter the Prince's house.

3. When you talk to the Prince, you must have one person with you.

4. You call the Prince by the following names by year:

3rd years- Yuki-kun

2nd years- Sohma-kun

1st years- Yuki Sohma-kun

5. You do not associate with any of the Prince's family in ways that are deemed in appropriate for your age, rank, or personal standing.

You have exactly one warning, and if you should fail to comply with these rules," She leaned in next to me, her hair tickling my face. I felt the need to sneeze as her pig tails brushed my nose as she swung her head back and forth dramatically as she spoke. "You are ours." I couldn't hold it in.

*Achoooo!* I sneezed, rocking back on my heels. She cringed away from me, her posse of prisses shadowing her movements perfectly. Rubbing the back of my hand against the top of my nose, trying to get the itchy feeling her hair had brought on to subside I glared at them.

"You guys need a life. I'll do what I want to. Yuki is my friend and I intend to treat him that way. Not like some high and mighty aristocrat that might break if I touch him. And as far as his family is concerned, I don't see how that is any of your business."

By now I had become aware of Kyo's presence behind me. He had been hiding from the Princeling's fan girls as they ranted.

He stepped out from his hiding place and set a hand on my shoulder. "Do you girls have a problem with my little sister?" Kyo must have had his game face on, because not only did they did in appreciation as only a fan girl would, but they ran away scared out of their minds at his sudden menacing appearance. I snickered as I watched them flee, shooting me looks over their shoulders all the while.

"Thanks Kyo. I could have handled that though. I don't need you swooping in to rescue me from the clutches of the unforgiving and unrelenting rabid fan girl." He grunted and ruffled my hair, snatching his bag back from me. "I win you twerp."

Growling I followed him into the nearly empty classroom. "No fair! I was distracted and had to dodge the gawkers! What is it with you people and this lame-o uniform? I feel like such a little girl."

He glanced at me from the corner of his eyes. He had settled into his seat near the window and had propped his head on his fist, his arm making a ninety degree angle. "Well, you look like one too. Come to think of it, you are one." My eyes narrowed at him but he knew when it came to physical violence, compared to _him_, I was all bark and no bite. Doesn't mean I wasn't going to try though.

"I am only a year younger than you jerk. Say I look like some priss again, I dare you!" I snarled through my teeth, the last 'you' coming out as a more guttural sound, resembling more of a 'ya' than anything. "You look like some priss." He pronounced every word slowly, egging me on. It worked.

"You asked for it!" I launched myself into his lap and began pulling at his orangey hair. He caught me, but the force of my jump had caused his chair to be knocked backwards. We fell to the floor, rolling upon impact. I came out on top, having flipped so that I was on his back with him in a choke hold.

"Take it back!"

"No, get off of me!"

"I'll get off when you take it back!"  
"I'll take it back when you get OFF!"

The few people that had already been in the classroom stared at us in apparent fascination. "NEVER!" My war cry declared I forged in with my attack.

Kyo rumbled something that was unintelligible and then proceeded to flip over so he had me around the shoulders with one arm. I huffed but refused to let go of my death grip on his hair. He began rubbing the top of my head ferociously trying to get me to relent on his tabby colored locks. Unfortunately we are both very stubborn people and neither of us saw a reason to relent until the other did.

So that's how Yuki, Tohru, Hana, and Uo found us upon entering the classroom three minutes later. "Take it back and I'll let go." Speaking through gritted teeth I glared at him, my face contorted in pain. I could feel my lips pulled into a demonic smile as I refused to cry out or utter a single sound of vulnerability. He was no better off. "I'll take it back, once you let go. God woman what is wrong with you! I've had to say that at least fifty times now."

Tohru gasped at the sight and began rambling about trying to stop us from hurting one another. No one paid her much attention and was content to stare at us with a blank expression on their faces. Yuki's eyebrow twitched and he spoke in his deadly calm voice that made Kyo and me pause in our wrestling to listen. "What is going on here?"

First to react, Kyo tried to defend himself. "She started it!" I stuck my tongue out at him, the epitome of graceful comebacks. "No way! He said I looked like some priss, and he won't take it back." Uo laughed at me. She yanked me away from Kyo, untangling my fingers from his hair, while Yuki pulled Kyo to his own separate corner. She patted my head in sympathy. "Sorry sweetie, you do look like one." Hana nodded. "He is right, you do look rather adorable Jaden, your short stature coupled with the high school uniform does-"

"I get it Hana. That doesn't mean I have to like it." Yuki shook his head at us. "Can the two of you act your age for the rest of the day, or am I going to have to do something about this." You could visibly see Kyo's temper rising, so I thought it was best I intervene. Tugging his sleeve I forced his attention to me. "He's right Kyo, I'm sorry. We'll behave Yuki."

By Yuki's skeptical glance I could see he wasn't buying my adorable and complacent child act. The rest of the class however… "AWWWW! She is so adorable! Do you think she's another Sohma? She looks like she's their little sister, or their kid or something." "Is she even old enough for high school?" "Who cares, she is so cute." There were hearts in every Sohma fan girl's eyes, and appreciative looks from the guys as I skipped to my seat, the only empty one left. I settled in behind Uo and next to Tohru.

My eye twitched as I was forced to listen to the sick speculations that could only be produced through fandom. At one point I became their adopted child, then I was their half sister who they had lost years ago, and yes I mean I was both Yuki and Kyo's half sister at the same time, in one of those speculations.

_These people are sick…_After five more minutes or so the teacher decided to call the class to order. I was forced to introduce myself. Sighing internally, I decided to set them straight about me now so that I wouldn't have to deal with them later. I cleared my throat and then stood up, rocking back and forth on my toes as I stared at the ground planning what I was going to say.

The weirdos thought that that alone was worth cooing over. _That's it, screw planning…_I slammed my hand down on the top of my desk and looked around the room. "Alright, would all of you quit it with the 'oh look at the adorable kiddie' bit? It's starting to tick me off." Once everyone was quiet again I crossed my arms out of pure habit and then continued. "My name is Jaden. Last name isn't important. I'm Tohru Honda's cousin. I'm fourteen and yes I skipped a grade. If anyone has a problem with me then 'tough luck for you'. I like to be left alone, and will in turn provide the same courtesy. Do we understand each other?"

I was replied with silence and wide eyed stares. Nodding I took my seat. The teacher coughed, trying to escape from the awkward silence the room had settled into. As roll was being called Uo leaned over to offer me a high five. I allowed myself a smirk and returned it. I then brought my attention back to the board. Class had begun, and I already knew I was going to be bored.

I had decided to walk home with the boys; Tohru had decided to go with Hana and Uo to get their things for the sleepover. At first I had been reluctant to let her go, but then the image of anyone trying to mess with Uo or Hana had eased my worry wearied mind. As I was stashing my things is my locker I heard a slam behind me, accompanied by the scurrying sounds of female feet.

_Oh brother, the terrifying trio has returned._ Lo and behold, I turn around to find the air heads from this morning, the Prince Yuki fan club. "Can I help you ladies?" My eyebrow quirked upwards in an expression of utter disdain. These girls rubbed me the wrong way.

They shuffled around until their head ditz was front and center. Then the rant began. Goody. "We warned you. You mess with the Prince and you mess with us. You were instructed not to interfere with the Prince's family. Your little stunt involving Kyo-kun this morning was a direct violation." She came up and began glaring down at me with a face that was meant to seem scary. The fact that they were treating this whole girlish matter so seriously was making it hard for me to think of them as anything more than pathetic lunatics, let alone frightening.

"Not only do we hear you we're associating with Kyo-kun, but that you're related to that witch Tohru Honda. You must be bad news, and that means that we're going to have to deal with you." Up until now they had just been wastes of my time that were merely being a nuisance. Now they had insulted Tohru, and they were going to pay dearly for that mistake.

The trio advanced on me, they must have planned to gang up on me once I was alone in the practically deserted locker area. What they hadn't taken into account was that the girl they were trying to take down wrestled with Kyo. Every. Single. Day. If these girls thought for one second that three of them could take out Jaden without there being repercussions, then they were sorely mistaken.

The tall dirty blonde in the center attacked first, lunging at me at full force. She clearly didn't think that through seeing as I was standing right in front of the lockers. Stepping to the side and grabbing her by the waist, I added extra momentum to her pounce and helped her hit the lockers full on. With a loud *crash* she was on the ground holding her head in agony.

The brunette with the bob attacked next, she was using the claw your eyes out maneuver. I must say I would much rather wrestle with Kyo that with these girl. Heck, I'd rather get my butt kicked by Yuki. At least that would be exciting. As she went to slice my eyes I grabbed her hands pulling her to the ground I as flung my self backwards. Using the force of our fall to aid me I propelled her over top of, rolling back wards so I was straddling her. She smacked me, scratching my face. I could feel her manicured nails leave behind four horizontal lines on my face. She hit me right underneath wear my uncle had.

_Great! That had almost cleared up! This is just lovely…_Grimacing I boxed her ears, leaving her confused. Standing up I yanked her up with me only to throw her on top of her already fallen comrade. The last girl left seemed more scared than anything. I stood there waiting for her to make a move. She lifted a hand to her mouth. "Did you get all of that?" It was my turn to be confused. Behind me I heard footsteps, and before long another girl stood in front of me, this one holding a camcorder.

"You wretched little-" The girl with the camcorder walked up to get a close up on my face. "Wretched little what? You're the one who just beat up two innocent girls for no apparent reason. With a little editing we can make it look just like that don't you think?" The two of them snickered, very pleased with their dastardly plot. "You are completely at our mercy. You step out of line and we play this re-mastered scene for the whole school, then what. No one will respect you. You'll be seen as a bully and a thug."

Shaking my head I reached for the camera only to have it whisked out of my range of reach. "You honestly think that this is going to ruin me? If you've heard anything you'll know that I like to be left alone. This little stunt is going to do no harm and no good for my social standings. It means nothing." They snickered again, as if I was a naïve fool. They knew something I didn't. Luckily they're the type of villains that's feel it is necessary to tell their entire evil plot to the protagonist as so as they feel they have the upper hand.

"Oh, but what would Tohru think? Or the Prince and Kyo-kun. They wouldn't like it one bit now would they? To see the little darling princess as a demon, it would just make their day right." Is stopped, dumbfounded by the level of idiocy these girls had achieved. _Yuki would just tell me not to fight with girls on school property. Kyo would have criticized my methods of fighting. Tohru might get upset…_

"Do you actually use the muscle between your ears? Or is it just there to weigh your head down and keep it attached to your shoulders?" The hissed at me, but then huddled together having an impromptu conference. You have got to be kidding me right? I considered making a break for it, but I wasn't quite fast enough.

"Change of plans! We didn't no what to expect with you so we came prepared." By now the two girls from earlier that had been roughed up were at least standing on their own to feet. From the bag the girl with the camera was wearing a thing of duct tape was produced. "You might have taken on two of us, but there is no way you can handle four at a time." They set the camera in an open locker where it would have a good view and then readied themselves for a fight.

I glanced around looking for an escape from this madness. Nope, they had planted themselves right in front to the room's only exit. If I wanted out I'd have to fight. _This feels like such a cheesy scene from a lame movie or anime…_

If sighing were a sport, I would be in the platinum level of excellence at it by now. I feel like I spend my whole life sighing, and today was not going to be an exception. "I don't want to waste my time but fine. You asked for it."

Now, if they had come at me one by one like they had done last time I would have come out victorious in minutes. But they decided to play nasty and all four of them rushed me at once. The next minutes or so are so confusing and disorienting; it's rather hard to describe them.

One moment they rush me, the next I'm slamming one girl into the lockers, yanking on by the arm over my shoulder onto the floor after she tries to choke me. I think someone got kneed in the stomach and then the chin, but I let that fly as I grabbed for a brunette's fists as they came at me. One moment I feel my fists colliding with some chick's abdomen, then I feel something yanking me backwards by both arms. I reach back to fight my newest assailant off and instead of a crush crazed fan girl there stands a tall man with dark green hair.

"Would someone like to explain what is going on here?"

**A/N: Okay, sorry for the ever so slight cliff hanger **** I will try and get five up soon though. Hope you enjoyed and like always, love the feed back, no matter what kind!**

**Lots of love from me to you!**

**-Rat**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you so much for your awesome reviews and comments. I loved every single one of them. Thank you so much for reviewing on every single one of my chapters Koneko, you are the best. For everyone who reviewed or messaged, thanks again and I hope chapter five is to your likings. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, I only own Jaden.**

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5

I was so screwed. "Would someone care to explain what is going on here?" Behind the green haired man stood my gym teacher and Yuki, who was restraining a glaring Kyo. I coughed and glared at my shoes. This is was not the way I wanted to spend my first day at school.

Sano-sensei stepped forward in-between me and the only girl left standing. Of the four that had rushed me we were down to one. "Fighting is not tolerated at Kaibara High, so you better have a good explanation for this girls." Coughing again I wiped my mouth, must have been me that got kneed in the chin. By the way the other girl was holding her gut she must have been the one who got kneed in the stomach.

"She attacked us Sano-sensei! We came to welcome her to our school and then she got violent. We were only trying to defend ourselves." Crocodile tears began to creep out of her eyes, causing the very masculine teacher to squirm. I growled low and guttural. If it weren't for the restraining hand of the dark haired man behind me I would have been at their throats in a heartbeat for suggesting I was low enough to attack people like _them_ without provocation. He turned on me about to begin yelling when Yuki interrupted.

"Sensei, I feel that these girls are not being very sincere." What were once crocodile tears became full on sobs. The fact that their prince didn't believe them was reducing the ones that were conscious to a pathetic pool of jell-o. "What is that supposed to mean Sohma-kun?" Sano-sensei left his position between the fan-girls and me to meet Yuki at the wall of lockers.

In the Princeling's hands was the camera they had filmed it all with. He rewound the tape to the beginning, and it only took the first thirty seconds to tell who the instigator was. Fuming, Sano-sensei turned towards the four girls who were sniffling on the floor. "You four, come with me. We're going to the office and I'm calling your parents." The four seemed to have lost all of their earlier spunk. They followed behind him like sheep, completely without any will of their own.

"Ah…Jaden was it? I'll need to call your parents too-" The tall man holding me back spoke up. His voice was quiet and very professional sounding. "I'm Hatori Sohma, Kyo and Yuki's cousin. If you must, contact me or Shigure Sohma. She's staying with us after her family arrangements fell through." Sano-sensei nodded, he seemed much more comfortable dealing with a grown man than with wailing girls. "I'll do just that after I finish up with these four. Why don't you take her and the boys home, I'll call in an hour or so to discuss the situation.

He departed and I was left with the Sohmas. "Come on. Let's get you three back to Shigure's house." It was then that I realized not only was the man, was _Hatori_, holding me back, but he was also holding me up. I stumbled and he grabbed me by my elbow, trying to steady me. Turns out, even if I _had_ 'won' four verses one are odds that would even leave Kyo feeling tired afterwards. Kyo and Yuki leapt forward, their arms wrapping around my waist pulling me up. I felt me hat tighten on my head and I clumsily reached up to make sure it didn't fall off. Wincing I pulled my arm back down. I had hit my cheek which was still reeling from being scratched and smacked. The fact that my chin hurt from having made contact with some fan-girl's bony knees didn't help the situation any either.

"What the heck were you thinking?! Four verses one, are you nuts?" Kyo hissed in my ear as he pulled me on to his broad shoulders. "I don't think she had much if choice as far as numbers were concerned Kyo. But he is right Ms. Jaden, what you did was very foolish."

"He means stupid, foolish sounds too nice." I 'hmphed' and turned my face so I was resting my unharmed cheek against Kyo's shoulder. Unfortunately I was met with Yuki's concerned stare as he played with the camcorder still in his hands. Sighing I closed my eyes and allowed myself to be carried from the now mostly empty school building.

_I am so going to get it when I get home…_

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I was right. "What do you mean you had to fight them?!" Kyo yelled in my face as I sat at the table being patched up by Hatori. "They wouldn't have given me the camera otherwise." My tone was dull, exhausted even. As soon as we had walked through the door and Shiugre had seen what had happened I was interrogated and fussed at and with.

"May I ask what made you feel the need to retrieve the camera from them Ms. Jaden?" I sighed, "They were planning on showing the tape to the school, specifically to you guys and Tohru. I knew you wouldn't care, but I didn't want Tohru seeing me like that. Not after I promised her I'd be fine at school." Shigure raised his head from where he had had it propped against his hands. His mouth slid open as if he had something to say, but the phone rang in his study. He shook his head and went to retrieve it, leaving his comment unsaid.

"What kinda stupid reason is that! You have got to be the biggest idiot aside from that rat in the whole dang world!" Kyo returned to pacing the room, his temper had risen to near deadly levels, so we had all silently agreed to leave him be.

"Kyo, shouting at her is not going to help the situation any." Yuki was leaned against the wall watching me with calculating eyes. He was making me fidget even more than Kyo's screaming was. Sadly, every time I fidgeted Hatori would dab the anesthetic less carefully than I felt he was capable of, and it would sting like crazy. This was one of those times. "Would you quit that already?" He held my glare easily, and with only one eye. His other one was covered by his dark green hair.

"If you would quit squirming it would quit stinging." His monotone was quite annoying in this particular situation. I had just about had enough of this. He tried to continue his work only to have me slap his hand away from my face. "I can't quit squirming, so I'll do it. Just leave me alone for a bit!" Snapping at him didn't make me feel any better; if anything I knew it would make me feel worse in the long run. But I wasn't in the mood to be thinking about the consequences of my actions.

I stormed past Kyo, who had come out of his internal rant just long enough to start yelling at me again. "Where do you think you're going?! Get bac-" The slam of the bathroom door cut him off, his yelling reduced to muffled sounds from down the hall.

Looking in the mirror I let out a low whistle. The fan-girls from Hades had done a nice job on my face. I was starting to get another bruise, but I knew this one was going to be much better looking than the first one. She hadn't hit me nearly as hard as Uncle had. But her nails were much longer than Uncle's and had left four long thin trails across my cheek.

_Nice. That is going to be hard to explain, lets see, rabid squirrel? No. Stray dog? That might work._ *Knock-Knock* "Ms. Jaden, open the door."

No longer caring I unlocked the door and let Yuki in. I was ignoring him, but still allowed him entry. Knowing Yuki, he was probably just asking out of common courtesy. He could have waltzed in with or without my consent. But the 'princely' thing to do was ask. He stood against the wall behind me, watching me in the reflection of the mirror.

I washed my face, and then began sterilizing. I wasn't nearly as good as Hatori had been, even with him hurting me every time I squirmed. After about five minutes I was fed up with the attempt and threw the medicine to the counter. "Forget this! I am fine, it's just a scratch anyways, not some big freaking gash."

Returning my eyes to mirror, I let out a small squeak. Yuki had come up behind me during my ranting. He was only a few inches from me and had reached across me to grab the discarded medicine and bandages. I shut up and glared at no where in particular as he finished what I had started.

"Kyo's very mad with you Ms. Jaden." I tried to nod but he caught my face, holding it still. "But I think he's just mad he wasn't there to fight with you." My glare softened. I did feel relieved to think that he wasn't mad with me. I had done nothing wrong. Yeah fighting isn't right and you shouldn't do it at school, but I was only defending my self. And if Kyo had a problem with that then he was a just a hypocrite.

"Shigure's grown attached to you as well, and he doesn't like it when people who are close to him get hurt. Though he'll never admit, I think he had a soft spot for girls especially." I snorted, it wasn't that I didn't believe him. I only had a mental image of all of the things Shigure would have to say about _that_ statement.

"What about you?" He paused in placing the bandage over my newest cuts. "Are you really mad at me?" I spoke quietly, not quite sure if I wanted to hear the answer. "No. I'm not. I can't say I'm not a little bit disappointed that you had to fight them in the first place, or that you would fight on school grounds with out the slightest bit of hesitation, but I'm not mad at you."

I felt the heaviness lift from my chest. As long as they weren't upset with me then I would be fine. I'd been through worse, not that I was going to tell them that. It was my time to try and forget, and I was going to try my hardest to keep them from ever knowing what I had lived with up until now.

I hugged him and he hugged back. His hand rubbed my back reassuringly as I tool deep breaths against his shirt. "Now, now, where's our rough and tumble Jaden? You really were worried we were mad at you weren't you?" He was half teasing, but I nodded against his shirt anyway while I tried to regain my composure. His hand ran through my hair and brushed it away from my neck. I stiffened. Through out the day I had worn the sweater that went along with the uniform despite the heat; once I had gotten home I had taken it off because it was awfully warm. The uniform shirt I was wearing had a collar I wasn't used to, and the high school uniforms didn't quite fit me no matter what size I wore. The back of my shirt had slid down further than I normally kept my necklines and it gave Yuki a clear view at…

"Ms. Jaden! Where did you get these?" I pulled back and fixed my top, pulling the fabric back over the scars. Flattening the fabric self consciously I tried for an innocent look. "Get what Yuki? I don't know what you are talking about." His head was hung low as I tried to bull my way out of the situation. When he began to shake his head back and forth I knew I was screwed. "Yuki, please don't mention it to anyone. It's really not a big deal and even you shouldn't have to be bothered by-"He reached out and grabbed one of my hands, holding it and playing with my fingers. He lifted his eyes which seemed to have darkened several shades giving him a more serious, even frightening look. Not meeting my eyes he spoke, his voice wavering.

"Where did you get those scars Jaden. Who did this to you? Was it your Uncle? Why on Earth would you think that this wasn't a big deal?!" I stared at the ceiling, neither one of us wanted to make eye contact right now. Neither one of us trusted ourselves enough to know how we would react.

"There not important any more Yuki, I got out. I don't have to worry about it happening any more. Neither should you." He reached for my face and brought our eyes together, taking the risk of emotions and memories returning. "Who did this to you Jaden?"

He used my name, for the second time. It felt kind of wrong to hear him call me Jaden instead of Ms. Jaden like normal. He was serious, and I was only worrying him more. Pulling out of his grasp I folded my arms across my chest and averted my eyes. "My father… my father did this. But it's no longer important. I came to Japan to move on. I came to try to forget. So please promise me you won't tell anyone. Promise me you won't tell Kyo or Shigure." My response was curt and to the point. I really had been trying my hardest to forget the situation, but do to my uncanny memory I see everything as if it was happening to me. I remember things better if I had some form of emotional response tied to the situation, which means my past is something that is going to be very hard to forget. If I let Yuki go around worrying about me and worrying other people then I'll never be free from it. "Promise me that Yuki, please."

Reluctantly he nodded, backing away from me and letting his hand drop from my face to his sides. "Does Ms. Honda know?" Checking my reflection for any trace of evidence that would suggest I had done anything more that get scratched by a stray dog or had fallen I shook my head.

"No, she doesn't. I'd like to keep things that way. The fewer who know the better. Even Gramps is kind of fuzzy on the details." Yuki opened the door and we left to return to Kyo's screaming and Hatori's emotionless person. Shigue came in after having finished with his phone call, smacking Kyo on his head as he entered.

"That was the school. They say that because it was your first day and because you were attacked they are not going to suspend you. But they do wish you wouldn't try and fight with you fellow peers if a situation like that should occur again."

Kyo glared at him. "What do you mean they don't want her to fight? If she hadn't they would have killed her!" Yuki nudged my side and I smiled. Yuki had been right. Kyo was still on my side, he was just screaming to show he cared. "Kyo, sit down. Your pacing is giving me a headache." Hatori droned from his seat at the table. I took my place next to him again and Yuki grabbed his spot on the wall. Hatori reached over to grab my face, twisting it towards him gently.

He surveyed my work and nodded; I must have done okay. I probably had Yuki to thank for that though. "I'm not saying I agree with everything they say. I am simply repeating the message verbatim." Shigure flopped down into his seat, pulling his by now probably cold tea to him. "However I do agree that if anything like that happens again you should let Yuki or Kyo do the fighting for now. Not that you can't take care of yourself of course," He tried to back track as I gave him a cold empty stare. "I'm just saying that you aren't quite a master martial artist like the boys are. You have to admit that you seem to get hurt quite often while you're fighting."

I nodded in acceptance for that fact, looking at Yuki out of the corner of my eyes. He was tensed in the corner, but he seemed in control. I was going to have to trust he wouldn't say a word. Narrowing my gaze I locked eyes with Shigure and leaned across the table so I was probed on my elbows and only inches from his face.

"I'll concede to that point, but if Yuki or Kyo had tried to defend me in that situation then I might have hugged one of them and then changed. That would have been hard to handle, right?" Shigure shook his head. "Not really. If you where to have changed then it could have been easily been played off as a trick of the light or as the effects of head trauma from the fight."

Beaten I sunk back to my seat. He had said it all so calmly, almost like he had practice in this kind of situation. Before I could interrogate him on his all-to-ready response Hatori cut in.

"Jaden, why don't you tell me more about your little condition." His dark eyes held well masked curiosity, but I could guess what that small glimmer was. _Why not, he already knows, and he's a doctor. He might be able to explain…_

"Alright. Here's how it is. When I hug Kyo I get cat ears and his eyes. If I hug Yuki I get rat ears and _his _eyes. If I hug Shigure, well same thing happens, just dog ears."

"So your curse seems to be limited to the Sohmas." Hatori raised an eyebrow, well he might have raised two, but I couldn't see the other one to be sure. Now that I think about it, it had only been the Sohma's hadn't it? But it was still too early to tell if they were the complete cause or not. So far it was only them, but what happens if I hug someone else (not that I plan on it or anything) and I turn into some hybrid creature then? That would be very, very bad.

"Yes, so far at least. I don't know if it's just the Sohmas or if there are just a lot of people in the Sohma family that can cause it." Hatori nodded and finished packing up his doctor bag. When he finished he pulled out a cigarette and lit it up. "Wait a minute! You're a Sohma, right Hatori?" Confused he looked up just in time for me to reach over and hug him.

Squeezing open one eye I check his face to see of he was mad. He sat there quietly, no clear emotion on his face. But I could practically see the shock hanging around him in waves of pure terror. "Woah, that's different." Kyo quit his pacing to stare. Confused I reached up to pull my hat off. "No ears, guess he's safe."

Yuki shook his head, no longer glaring at the floor in his self inflicted inner turmoil. His eyes were as big as saucers. "I think you might be wrong Ms. Jaden." Tilting my head I made my way back to the bathroom. _I seem to be looking for this thing a lot don't I…I'm going to have to shell out the money for a pocket mirror or a compact of some kind. _

When I opened the door I was met with quite a shock. I had been right, no animal ear sat atop my head. But that was all I had gotten right. "Maybe it is the Sohmas?" Across the top of my cheekbones and around my face were hard scale like plates, they were hard to the touch, almost bony. They kind of looked like bone too but their color was weird. And they seemed to change as my emotions went from bewilderment to amazment to intrigue as I examined them. They turned a dark yellow to a light one, followed closesly by an almost green color. My eyes were the same color as Hatori's own dark eyes, but one seemed paler to me than the other.

"Woah!" I jumped. Kyo must have followed me this time, but I hadn't seen his come in at all. I had closed the door this time and I should have seen it open upon his entering. "Kyo! Don't scare me like that!" He looked puzzled. What do you mean? I wasn't even being sneaky."

I grumbled a 'your point' and decided I had done enough looking. Turning to walk down stares I tripped into to Kyo who must have been hiding in my blind spot. "Oi! Don't hide in my blind spot; I get anxious when I can't see people hiding behind me."

Kyo growled low. "What do you mean by _that_? I wasn't in your blind spot. I was right next to you. Do you need glasses or something?" He stopped, his face no longer seemed angry. I was about to retaliate when he yanked me by my arm down stairs back to the rest of his family. "She's blind!" I smacked him. "I am not! I can see you perfectly well."

Kyo practically hissed at me and I was once again asking myself if the boy had feline genes. "That's not what I meant! Your blind like Hatori is!" I heard the other two males give a soft start and Hatori stand up, passive as ever. He walked over to me and twisted my head back and forth like earlier. He stooped low to look at my eyes. I saw his own eye widen and I couldn't help but think Kyo might be right. I wanted to be sure though.

Slowly I reached up and brushed his hair away from his eye. He flinched but didn't try to jump back. Underneath his dark green locks I saw a paler eye just like the one I had. Shigure walked over and examined us. "Hmm, bet it's like looking in a mirror Ha'ri. It's scary how natural all of our features look on her."

Coughing slightly Hatori stood back up and returned to his seat and his cigarette. "Hatori," I asked quietly as I stood there, worried that I had spooked him. "Yes Jaden?" He didn't sound angry so I proceeded. "What do they call you? I mean, Yuki and Kyo are always yelling at each other about cats and rats, and Shigure is always called a dog. What's your nickname?"

He chuckled and then stood up. Grabbing his doctor's bag, he made for the door. As he passed me he paused. "I'm the Dragon." His tone was that of someone enjoying a private joke. Still chuckling he walked out waving to a whining Shigure as he exited.

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An hour or two later after Hatori had left Tohru had come home with Hana and Uo close at her heels. They had gotten hung up at Hana's house saying hi to her little brother and helping him with an assignment for school. It took a little creative truth making, okay a lot of creative truth making, but by the end at least Tohru believed the dog story. Hana and Uo didn't seem so convinced, but they seemed to accept it. Thankfully the effects of hugging Hatori had worn off and I was able to greet them with out my dragon features, other wise even my exceedingly superb fibbing skills wouldn't have been able to cover that one up easily.

Things progressed smoothly from that point on. The girls decided to play cards and Yuki and Kyo joined in. I sat back and watched, having learned my lesson as far as card games went back when I played Shigure.

Even if he did cheat I wasn't going to risk it. Uo was good, but Hana was dangerous. She kicked butt the first three rounds. By the fourth I was rolling on the floor laughing as Kyo became even angrier as Uo teased him ruthlessly. Fuming he watched Tohru play her next card, then a smile pulled at his lips. Slamming his cards down he leapt up putting one foot on the table top laughing like a mad-man.

"Ha! Revolution! What are you going to do about that Yankee?" Uo shook her head. "I can hear you Orangey, I'm not ten feet away and you're screaming. Even if you did pull a revolution and win this round I've still got more points that you." Kyo bolted up and was about to let her have it when Hana moved. "Wait. Counter revolution." Her monotone destroying any hopes and dreams Kyo might have had about winning this round.

Tohuru must have sensed the awkwardness and offered to get snacks. I followed her out, not wanting to intrude on the others conversations. By the look Uo had in her eyes she wanted to see if the boys were good enough company for Tohru and she had been waiting for a moment were she could evaluate them in private.

_Tohru sure is lucky to have so many great friends. Uo is firmly planted in reality and is perfect for keeping my little space cadet of a cousin anchored. Hana's mothering in a way that Kyoko never was, but Tohru still needs that kind of love from someone. _

"Would you make the tea Jaden?" Tohru was smiling like the sun. "Sure thing! You seem really happy today, is it Hana and Uo?" Tohru got to work on making the snacks, her hands much more adept at their task than mine could ever hope to be. "You could say that. I'm just so happy that everyone can be together and that we are all getting along well."

She sure knows how to enjoy the little stuff. But that's why we all lover her. The tea was ready and the snacks weren't far from being finished, so I carried out cups and napkins to the feuding card players. I walked into a fairly aggressive argument between Kyo and Uo over something that was making Kyo blush a bright red. "What's going on in here-" I was cut off as Kyo stepped backward right on top of me.

I yelped and hit the floor reaching for my head as I felt warm fuzzy triangles twitch. _Stupid! You should have never taken your hat off!_ Kyo was quick to jump off of me, too quick actually. Tohru was coming in from the kitchen with the snacks and ran into him. I was reaching for the falling plate when a sudden POOF of smoke filled the room. Blinking to try and see through it I felt something small and warm jump over me, a tail brushing past my nose.

_What ever that was I'll use it to my advantage! _Dashing up myself I jumped for the hallway. I caught sight of an orange tail running up the stairs and decided now was as good a time as any to see what that was. Thankfully it had been Kyo that had made me morph, the cat like reflexes and agility were really helping clumsy old me run after some mysterious fur ball.

I nearly lost at the top of the stairs, that is, until I heard a yowling come from Yuki's room. Stalking up on the room grumbling could be heard from inside. _That's strange, Yuki and Kyo were downstairs last time I checked, and that is definitely not Shigure…_

Who in the world was in there? I was going to find out. Bracing my self for what ever was to come I flung open the door screaming a war cry worthy of gladiator. "YAHHHH!"

"AHHHHHH! What the heck are you doing?!" I stood there and blinked. An orange tabby cat was currently yelling at me from the top of Yuki's dresser. It sounded a lot like Kyo…in fact it looked a lot like Kyo…

"Is that you Kyo? What are you doing in Yuki's room?" For someone with cat like grace he fell off the top of that dresser most spectacularly. His face was planted firmly on the floor when I crouched down to look at him. "I'm a cat! A cat is yelling at you and the thing that bothers you is that I'm in Yuki's room?! What is wrong with you women?!?!?" Yep. Definitely. Kyo.

Before he could say anything further, the sound of heavy panting was heard behind me. "Houston, we have a problem! Tohru is down stairs with the girls and we need clothes before we change back and our sweet little flower who is so good to us decided to do laundry TODAY!" Now not only was there a cat, well Kyo as a cat, talking to me, but there was dog who sounded a lot like Shigure talking with a perturbed looking rat on his head.

I blinked at him and all three of them froze. "Ah, Jaden. Well, ah…ARF!" The room fell into an awkward silence as everyone looked at one another. I blinked, I know, not the most creative response but I girl can only do so much when animals start talking and she looks like half a cat.

"Was that really the best you could come up with Shigure?" The rat had settled himself on the dog's nose and was glaring at him as only rats can. "Come on Yuki! I didn't have much to work with."

Suddenly it all made sense, the boys acting like they were going to melt when I hugged them, the way they accepted me so easily for my newly found 'curse', the…..

"I get it!" They took a moment to cease their bickering and look at me. "Get what, Ms. Jaden?" The rat, apparently Yuki, asked carefully.

"I finally get the nicknames!" They all ended up on the floor much like Kyo had been not a few moments before. "That is what you are able to learn out of this entire predicament Ms. Jaden?"

Rubbing the back of my head I grinned sheepishly. "It had been bothering me." Kyo hissed and removed his face from the floor boards to glare at everything. The poor boy was going to need to work on his anger management issues. "Can we deal with the whole curse thing later? We kind of need to handle this now before they come looking for us." The dog Shigure nodded in agreement. "You're right, and this is what we're going to do…."

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**(A/N): And so ends another chapter, I hope this was good. I'm sorry it took a while but I've been busy. I have a play coming up this week and we are not nearly as ready as we ought to be. Oh well, no need to trouble you all. I hope you all have a lovely day.**

**With much love from me to you,**

**-Rat**


	6. Chapter 6

**(A/N): Oh, you guys are awesome! I love you all so much no matter how stalkerish that may sound. I'm glad to have so many awesome readers, honestly I never expected to have such good comments as I have been getting. I will try my best to keep things good enough for you all. I hope you enjoy this next chapter!**

**I am going to explain now that because we are living in Rat's Psycho Author-land at the moment and because I am terrible at fitting my plot line to the exact one in either the manga or anime, I am going to be doing the episodes in a slightly unorthodox manner and changing things as I see fit while trying my hardest to keep things from straying too far. I apologize for any confusion my insanity may impose upon you.**

**Disclaimer: Fruits Basket does not belong to me, only Jaden belongs to me.**

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6

Slowly I crept down the stairs trying my best not to make the floor creak as I skulked. I still hadn't quite gotten used to the fact that the dog trotting behind me was the same person who had made me wear a maid outfit for his own sick enjoyment. Shigure followed on my heels as we put his plan into action. I stopped before I reached the doorway, causing a minor wreck behind me. Shigure bumped into me, Kyo into him, and Yuki was nearly flung to the floor from his perch atop of Shigure. Nervously giggling I apologized to the fuming feline and Kyo. "Remember Jaden, distract them long enough for me to run in and grab our clothes." I reached over to muss up Shigure's perfectly groomed fur. _Figures, he's vain even as an animal._

"I know what I'm doing Shigure, just sit back and let me handle things." Reaching behind my neck I tied the handkerchief I had wrapped around my head to cover my ears tighter. If it slipped I was screwed, but we were just going to have to risk it. Better a single freak with ears than a bunch of naked boys who turn into animals.

Here it goes, all or nothing. _This is sooo not going to work…oh well._

"GOOD EVENING LADIES!" Tohru jumped five feet in the air at my obnoxious entry, Hana looked up, and Uo blinked. "Tough crowd… Anyways, there is something the three of you must help me with outside in the front yard." Tohru recovered fairly quickly once she heard her help was needed. Poor, loving Tohru stumbled around as she tired to find her bearings. "Oh! What is it you need Jaden? Come on Uo, Hana, let's go help out." Uo extended a hand to right her as she threw mw a skeptical glance.

"Why is it you need our help in the _front_ yard?" Hana hummed in agreement. "Yes, your waves don't seem quite right. You also seem a little on edge." _Alright, plan 'A' scrapped. Let's improvise…_ "Fine, I lied. I just really need you out of this room for a minute." Eyebrows were raised all around and I tried to appear as sheepish as possible. "I'm playing a joke on Shigure and I need this room to prepare some stuff. It's payback for a while back when I lost a bet." They seemed to believe this better, at least Uo did. Hana still looked like Hana. I was having a harder time gauging her reactions. "Oh, fine by me. You need any help?" Letting my natural smirk fall into it's rightful pace I shook my head.

"Nope, I've already told you too much. Just promise you won't say anything, ok?" Uo snickered as she packed up the card game and went into the kitchen. Hana followed behind her but gave me a once over with her eyes. Tohru trotted along happily, but not before reminding me to be nice.

_That was a close one…I'm going to have to be more careful around Hanajima from now on._ "Coast is clear guys! Hurry up before they come back." At the sound of my holler they came in slowly, eyeing the room carefully. "You truly are magical my little rose blossom! Isn't she boys?"

"**Shut up you pervert."**

I was about to institute this room as a 'no fight zone' until they were in forms that I could hit with out risking animal abuse charges when there were three 'poof's and brightly colored smoke filled the room. Coughing I tried to see past the smoke and caught a quick glimpse of male skin. I averted my eyes, the heat rising in my cheeks.

"Yo, Jaden? You alright?" Kyo finished dressing first and came to tell me it was safe to look. "I'm good, but I'll be better when I can wrap my head around everything." He pat my back soundly and I bit my tongue. Kyo had hit a sore spot, it was an older one but it always hurt the worst of all.

"Maybe we should go somewhere and let the girls have their sleep over in peace. Don't you think that would cause fewer issues Ms Jaden?" Yuki had come over and wormed his way in between Kyo and me. Well, if you call subtlety shoving Kyo back three feet 'worming'. "That is probably the best idea; it'll be hard to come up with something else they would believe. Hana doesn't seem like the type to fall for the same gag twice." Shigure bounced up, his kimono slipping off his shoulders as he had taken the longest to dress.

"Why don't we take you to dinner Jaden-Rose? You must be famished after that clever stunt." He twirled his fingers through my hair, sliding the handkerchief off as he did so. Before he could get slammed into a wall I caught his hand. With a glint in my eye I smirked darkly up at him. "Don't try an escape the inevitable Shigure, you heard my excuse. If I say that and don't follow through with it they'll know I was lying."

Yuki and Kyo must have caught on because they quit their silent glaring session to join me in backing Shigure up into a corner. "I'm sure they wouldn't think much of it Jaden- Hey! What are you doing Kyo? - Yuki! - I don't like this plan! HELP ME!"

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Not long after our attack on Shigure the girls stumbled back into the room. "What was all of the screaming about?" Uo blinked confused as she wandered in behind Hana and Tohru. The two had made it in first but had stopped and stared in complete horror, or was it confusion? "Whoa, you sure know how to deal out revenge, coldly. Are you sure you're related to _Tohru?_" Uo finished her statement, and then crumpled to the floor laughing hysterically. Tohru began to chuckle, and even Hana covered her mouth to hide the smile forming on her lips.

"I'm fairly sure at least. I just happen to be the criminal mastermind of the family." I sure hope they never learn how close to reality that statement almost became at one point. With the way I had lived I had to seriously consider it once. But I've moved past that. That is, I use my exceptional skills for purely personal entertainment now instead of illegal actions. One of my finest works now stood before me, cowering in shame.

"It isn't funny! Quit laughing at me! Even you Tohru? Oh, I never knew you could be so cruel Jaden, the thorns that hide behind your beauty truly pierce the heart!"

Shigure continued to spout nonsense as he tried his best to cover himself; he was feeling quite insecure at the moment. I can't say that I blame him completely either. In revenge, I mean, in order to make the lie I had said to Uo and Hana earlier seem more realistic I had done something quite mean. I should feel sorry. But seeing Shigure in the exact same French maid's outfit I had been forced to wear was making it hard to feel anything besides the need to roll on the floor in hysterics.

Yuki and Kyo stood back looking rather proud of what they had helped me accomplished. I couldn't have done it nearly as easily without their help in holding him down. In a moment of extreme artistry I had even managed to but his hair up in pig tails tide in lavender ribbons. "You look gorgeous Shigure. I don't know what you are complaining about." His whining was shrill and I knew he was desperate for a way out of his situation.

"Calm down. I'll be nice and let you change back in a minute or two. Just after I get a picture."

"WHAT! I refuse! I will not allow that to happen. Jaden! Put that camera down! Don't-" *Click* A bright flash blinded him leaving him disoriented and I took the opportunity to take a few more. Once I had built up a fine repertoire of blackmail worthy material I put away the camera and sent him upstairs to change.

The night went by fairly easily after that. The boys gave the girls their space and we spent out time hanging out in Tohru's room. Uo and Hana were all smiles, though they seemed kind of sad to me. I could see them thinking hard about Tohru's situation. They were worried for her. They only wanted the best for her, and I could tell they wanted to talk to her about it. I left to go for a walk, with only mild protests from Tohru about not staying gone for too long and not going far. She really worries too much.

I wandered through the woods behind the Sohma's property. My mind was buzzing with the days happenings. _These really are good people, I'm glad Tohru found a place with them. I'm glad __**I **__found a place with them. _But, they could be too good.

Yuki knows about my secret. He knows about my past, albeit a small part of my past. Which means he's going to ask about it later whether he plans to now or not. It probably won't be long before they all find out. What am I going to do then? Not only am I cursed but I'm broken too, probably beyond repair even with their help.

I leaned against a tree, the same tree I had collapsed at the last time I ran from them. _But I'm not the only one with a curse anymore it seems…_I had nearly forgotten. As odd as that may seem, the fact the Sohmas turned into animals when a member of the opposite sex hugs them had nearly slipped my mind. They had told me the truth, and I was still keeping secrets from them. If that doesn't make me feel worse I don't know what else could.

"I'll have to tell them eventually, but can't I pretend for just a little bit longer? What am I going to do Aunt Kyoko? You always knew how to set me straight." Sighing I laid down on he ground. The stars could barely be seen through the tops of the trees. I could only make out eight out of the billions that I knew ruled the night skies. Eight, almost the perfect number for me. All of the people I had met recently, little spots of hope in my previously midnight black life.

Tohru, Uo, Hana. Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, Hatori even. Seven little shining lights that were making my world just a little bit brighter. I wonder who the eighth could be. The grass swayed around me in the wind tickling my face as I thought. After all I've seen and been through I had just about resolved that I would live my life miserable at best. But in only a short amount of time these strange, wacky individuals had changed my life so drastically. Now it was just silly old Jaden holding herself back once again. _When will I ever learn?_ In time I might be able to forget. I closed my eyes, letting the darkness overwhelm me. But my moment of peace was ruined because memories played like movies in perfect detail on the back of my eyelids. Every sordid detail was seen in perfect clarity, felt as if I was there, then, at this very moment.

Gasping I sat up and opened my eyes. I was not even close to being healed. It would take a long time before I would be able to even be able to forget. Tilting my head back I looked at the stars again, at _my _stars again. "Seven's got me this far, I wonder what number eight will bring." I stood up and headed home. A new resolve in my heart I swore to move forward. I would get better, I would heal. I just had to keep my eyes to the skies, and keep my gaze on the stars that were slowly lighting up my sky. Focusing on the dark was what I spent my whole life doing, now was time to look on the bright side.

"Time to go home." I hummed a song and smiled. The moon broke through the barricade of leaves and tree limbs casting its light down and making my eyes shine bright with determination. Home huh? I like the sound of that.

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It had been five days after Uo and Hana had spent the night. The boys were relieved to see them go so that they could relax. The incident had left them on edge and they had tried to stay at least five feet away from them at all times. Though, the girls had left them with mixed feelings.

"_All right, we're leaving you two in charge of the most important thing."_

"_Our little Tohru-kun." Uo and Hana held Tohru close to them and cast sidelong glances at the Sohma men. They were being completely serious and Tohru was blushing at being fussed with as much as they were. "Oh Uo, Hana! You guys are the best friends I could ever ask for." They hugged her tight and sent one last glance at the boys. I could tell what the boys were thinking because I was having the same thought. It was like they were giving her away to be married…very awkward. But you could see they cared._

After that they left and things returned back to fairly normal. At least, as normal as things ever are in Shigure's house. Yuki and Kyo managed to break the back door twice since then and Kyo and I broke the table in the hallway where the phone goes during a wrestling match. Besides that excitement things went by smoothly. Arguments happened daily like always but no one was left bleeding (meaning Kyo or me) after them, and from the things Tohru tells me that sounds like an improvement.

Today was the endurance run during school. Kyo had challenged Yuki to a race so the atmosphere had been tense all morning. By the time we had gotten to school Kyo was practically vibrating in anticipation. Personally I was never fond of gym so after I changed into my sweats I went to hang around Tohru and Hana. Uo had chosen today to skip so it was just the three of us.

"Hana, I just thought I'd say, well. I hope we do our best today." Tohru smiled her adorably dense smile and I had to restrain myself from either face palming or glomping the poor girl. "Alright, Tohru. Because it was you that asked I will do my best."

The coach blew his whistle to call us over and we all lined up at the starting point. Amongst the crowd of jostling, giggling girl I was pushed back and forth. _Stupid short stature… _The gun went off and we all took off. I was about to jump to the front when I saw Hana go down. Tohru ran to her side. "Oh, Hana, what's the matter? You okay?"

Hana hit the ground and reached for Tohru's hand. "Tohru I'm sorry. I can't run any farther.I've done my best, but now I've reached the edge of my limits. Run on without me. And don't worry; I'll be right behind you the whole time…only walking."

"Hana." The coach stared down at them. Hana hadn't even made it five feet. "Walk, Crawl, I don't care. Just start Ms. Hanajima." I couldn't help but giggle.

The boys lined up so I began to run. Tohru was slower than me and I wanted to get out of the crowd of girls I would end up in if I ran with her. I passed by several girls and had to put up with the occasional glare from members of the Prince Yuki fan club along the way. Apparently the actual club spread much farther than I had originally thought. I had only had to deal with the extreme fanatics. Aren't I lucky?

Then of course there were the cutesy fans. I had had trouble finding an appropriately sized jogging outfit. I had been eating more and was actually starting to bulk up, but all of the sweat pants I tried on had practically fallen off of me. In desperation I had finally managed to snag something that the school deemed appropriate for running in that still worked with the uniform. To bad for me it was a light red (not pink, I refuse to see it as pink) skort type…thing, with a matching light weight sweat shirt. I despised skirts and skorts, but I had had trouble finding shorts that were of an acceptable length in my mind that matched the colors the school had said I was allowed to wear. I didn't even like the girls' uniform, but I was at least able to finagle the skirt so it was several inched longer. Not Hana and Uo longer, but at least it came to my knees.

So the light red skort ensemble from Hades was the best I could find that was allowable. And with the ensemble from the pits of Hades came the squeals of girls who found cute things made their world go round. I was really starting to get annoyed so I sped up only to have them do the same. Severely creeped out I ran for it. Weaving in and out of their teenage bodies I tried to get out of the clump and out of their sight.

I ran as far away from them as I could with out getting lost. I came to a bridge and glanced down to see someone lying down beneath it. His hair was white, but something about the way he laid sprawled out in perfect ease led me to believe he was young.

I could hear the giggling from around the street corner and knew I had to make a choice. Feeling an urge to lean on the adventurous side I found myself sliding down the hill. The person looked up. I had been right, he was a boy. A handsome one at that. He followed me with his eyes as I slid down until I was almost on top of him. Leaning to the side I flipped around landed on my knees.

The girls were standing at the top of the hill looking around for me. I could hear them complain sounding dejected at having lost me, there little game of chase ended earlier than planned. One of them began to look in my direction and in pure instinct I ducked, grabbing the strange boy and pulling him down to ground with me. He had been trying to sit up but I was worried he would blow my cover.

"SHH! Stay down! Don't let them see you or we're both screwed." Each of my hands was placed on either side of his shoulders and I had him pinned to the ground. I had my face burrowed down into his hair, it was tickling my face, but it was the best way to keep a look out with out being seen. Later on I would think back on this and blush at the awkwardness of it all, but I didn't have time for that now.

When I felt the coast was clearing I whispered to him, "Come on, under the bridge is safer." He nodded, looking kind of dazed. Skulking, I ran for it, towing him along behind me. We crouched behind the concrete bridges support beams until I heard the majority of my feminine foes dissipate and move on. "Phew! There gone. Thanks for not saying anything." I twisted around so I could look at him. His gray eyes were scanning over me and they made me feel like he could see right through me. Something about them made me feel like he was the observant type.

Feeling more than a little insecure I crossed my arms over my self and tilted my head at him as I surveyed him. "I'm Jaden." He just sat there watching me. His hair was white, but the underside was black. He had pierced ears and was wearing some really neat necklaces. His jacket was long and white with fur around the collar. In conclusion, he was smoking hot. But I know better than to judge based on appearances so I waited for his reply.

"I'm Hatsuharu." He stared at me, his eyes narrowing. Then he leaned forward until our noses were almost touching. "This is going to sound quite strange but, you wouldn't happen to be a guy would you?" He was right. Real strange. I blinked several time and then shook my head. "Sorry, it's just that…never mind." He sat back and stared forward, occasionally looking my way out of the corner of his eyes.

_Am I a guy? What is that supposed to mean. Any other day and I might have given it to him because of my normal attire of choice, but I'm wearing a freaking skort! Why would he think I was a guy? Unless…_

Based just on appearances it would be hard to tell, the Sohma's didn't really share any distinctive features relative only to their family. Except, now that I think about it, for the fact that they all seemed to resemble their curse animals. Hatsuharu surely didn't look like your average teenager. His hair alone seemed to be a little eccentric for what I've seen around here. But that doesn't mean anything. There was only one way to be sure though...

Reaching up I clamped my hand on top of my hat. _He really is a…_ "You're a Sohma, aren't you?" He sat up, eyes widening and he turned to face me again. "Yes, how did you kn-" I stood up to stand behind him further under the bridge so anyone passing by couldn't see. "I wonder who you are." I mumbled to myself as I leaned over the water running past us in the river. I could see my eyes were a much darker shade, probably the same stormy gray as Hatsuharu's were. I reached up for my hat and pulled it off. Atop of my head sat two small cow ears. Unlike the other times though, I noticed my hair had become a paler color too. It was a grayish color instead of its normal sandy blonde, the tips remained purple though. _Must have been high quality hair dye after all, it's even curse proof._

"You have- But I didn't- Who are you?" I looked down at the now stuttering Hatsuharu. _Probably should have eased into this one, curiosity killed the cat after all. _

Oh well. "I already told you. I'm Jaden. I'm going to guess that you're the Ox though. Am I right?" Dumbfounded he nodded, never once taking his eyes off if me. "It's a long story if you want me to explain." He put his hand to his forehead and waved me over to the wall again. I didn't feel like fighting so I complied. "Just, sit down would you. Give me a minute to think. I'll be over there." He pointed back to where he had been lying when I had first found him. He seemed flustered and I couldn't blame him really. It's not every day some random girls hugs you and you _don't _turn into a giant bovine.

"Fine. I'm not in a hurry." I wasn't. I hadn't wanted to come to school to day anyways. Besides, this Hatsuharu guy intrigued me. Something about him made me want to do what he said. That's new one for me.

He went a laid down in the sun and I leaned against the wall. It was kind of chilly outside, but not terrible. I closed my eyes and took a nap. My sleeping habits had improved drastically once I had come here, but I still only slept four out of seven nights a week on average. Even if that was an improvement it still sucked in the morning. Last night had been one of the three I didn't sleep and it was beginning to take its toll on me. _It's probably best to sleep here where no one asks questions than at home where people will. _Glancing through slatted eyes I saw Hatsuharu exactly where I left him. Normally, being aware that someone I didn't know was that close to me while I slept would have made it impossible to go to sleep. But I was out like a light.

It wasn't until I heard Tohru's voice did I begin to stir. Opening my eyes I saw Tohru running down the side of the hill towards the thinking Hatsuharu. _She must have thought he was some old guy who had fallen or something._ By the way she jumped when he looked at her it was safe to assume I was right. I slowly sat up and was about to walk over there when I saw him glance in my direction. His eyes were a cold gray, even from far away I could tell that much.

Pulling my knees to my chin I sat back again and attempted a smile. He didn't seem to change his expression much; he just went back to talking to Tohru. She hadn't noticed I was here yet so I decided to wait. It wasn't long before I heard a loud noise from above me. Looking up the bridge seemed to be shaking? What on earth could that be?

It was then I heard the battle cry of the one known as Kyo. _His race with Yuki…sounds like he's really getting into it._ I returned my attention to Hatsuharu and Tohru only to have lost sight of them. Disregarding my earlier inclination to stay put I walked out from under the bridge. I pulled my hat close to my chest and peered out from around the edge.

My newest friend, or was it foe? It's too early to tell still, was crouched down with what appeared to be a rope in his hand. The rumbling sound got louder and I saw an orange and purple blur rush down the road straight for the…

"AHHHHH!" *THUD* Hatsuharu had pulled the rope taught and had tripped Kyo most effectively. "Kyo! Are you hurt?" Tohru rushed up to check on him. Yuki stood there surveying the situation. "Haru? What are you doing here?"

Hatsuharu glanced back and caught sight of me peering out from under the bridge. I cringed, the ears on my head drooping as I smiled sheepishly. He shook his head and then the corners of his mouth twisted upwards for a moment.

"Remember, what I just did was very dangerous and if it had been any one other than Kyo they would have gotten really hurt. So don't try this at home." I giggled and slunk back under the bridge after giving a salute. _So he wasn't mad at me, just confused. Or, he seems to be giving me a chance at least. I'll take what I can get._

"Who are you talking to? DON"T TRY IT HERE!" Kyo's screaming could be heard clearly from where I hid. _Why am I hiding again?_ Honestly I had no reason; I just had naturally tried to be as inconspicuous as possible. It had always been the best strategy to blend into the background. I never liked doing it. Fading away, disappearing, but it came naturally. Almost like breathing. I had a lot of practice at it.

I heard them start to come this way so I pressed my back to the wall and waited. Tohru rounded the corner first, followed by Yuki, Kyo, and Hatsuharu bringing up the rear. Once introduction had been exchanged and they had settled into a quite moment I decided to interject and tease the poor tabby cat. "So I'm going to guess you lost, right Kyo?" I watched the three who hadn't realized I was standing there jump ten feet into the air at my sudden comment. "Where the heck did you come fro- Wait a minute! I didn't lose! If that dumb cow hadn't…" He trailed off as he caught sight of my newest animalistic additions. He turned back to Hastuharu and balled his hands into his fists. "Haru, you have better have a good reason for hugging some random girl, there is no way you knew about her! Akito doesn't even know about her."

Is that why you didn't show up for the New Years banquet? You were hiding Ms. Honda and Ms. Jaden from Akito?" I blinked and looked at Yuki, he tensed up and crossed his arms. "New Years? What does he mean Yuki? Kyo?" Tohru glanced back and forth between them confusion written clears as day on her face. I shrugged. "I don't know, I wasn't there."

********(FLASHBACK)**********

"So, Jaden, what do you want to do for New Years?" Tohru was working on the menu while I was helping clean up the kitchen. "Actually, I didn't have any big plans. I just thought it would be a good time to go roaming around like I used to do." Tohru's face lit up. "Oh! That's right! When we we're younger you would always find a way to sneak out on New Years eve and go work on some secret project of yours. You never did tell me what it was."

I threw the wash cloth into the sink that was full of soapy water I was planning on using for washing dishes. Taking some of the bubbles that were floating around on the top of the water I smashed them on top of Tohru's head. "I promise to show you when it's done. If it's still where I last left it then you'll see it before the year is out." She squealed and wiped the bubbles out, laughing at me.

"What are you going to do Tohru? Are you and the guys doing anything special?" She turned away from me to work on the dishes. Growling I elbowed her out of the way and took over. "Stop that! I'm doing it. Why'd you avoid the question?" She shrugged and then let loose her goofy smile. "Oh, I didn't avoid the question. I was just thinking. Actually, the boys are going back to the Sohma house for New Years, so I'm just going to enjoy the evening here alone." She was trying to act like she was fine with it. But this time it was me seeing straight through her lies. _Of course she wouldn't want to be alone on New Years._

My fists clenched, causing the sopping wet rag I held to let off a deluge of water. "Then I'll stay. You were trying to hide this from me weren't you?" Tohru jumped back shaking her head and waving her arms back and forth. "Oh no! I couldn't ask you to do that! You were always so dedicated to your secret project when we were kids, I wouldn't want to take you away from that." Sighing internally I flicked the soapy water at her and tossed a drying rag towards her.

"Dry. I'm washing, and I'm staying with you on New Years. You'd really think I'd leave you all alone? Who do you think I am? I always thought I was a better cousin than that." Pouting at her playfully she smiled again and began to put up the dishes. "Still, I wouldn't want to keep you away from what ever it is you've been doing…"

I tapped a wet finger to my chin in thought. "Okay, how is this? I go for a little bit. Then come back before the New Year starts." I handed her a plate and she shook her head at me. "I'd like that but I remember when we were younger you would stay out all night working. I don't expect you to be able to drop your commitment for your project just to keep me company." She smiled. "Besides, I don't mind being alone-"

She shut up when I splashed her again. She splashed back and we had a miniature war while cleaning up the kitchen. It was tons of fun, but afterwards I got sent on errands.

When New Years rolled around Tohru kicked me out before the boys left so that she would have support when I tried to trick her into admitting she wanted me there.

I was out late on my secret mission, but my masterpiece was nearly complete so I felt pretty good. I had been gone for so long I was worried it would have been ruined, but it was just the way I left it. It was eleven fifty when I got back and I hoped that Tohru would forgive me for being so late. But instead of finding Tohru alone waiting on me, I found her sitting on the roof with Yuki and Kyo, waiting on the sunset.

I stood back and watched them sit around a bittersweet smile on my face. "I'm so happy for you Tohru. I wish I had your talent, the ability to be loved by all who you meet." I whispered my sentiments to the wind as they laughed together. _Guess you aren't alone this New Years after all. If that's true…_Skulking away I went for a walk, my head tilted backwards to watch the sky. _Time for a new year. A brand new start. I can feel it in the air, something big is going to happen this year. I sure hope I like it._ But only time would tell what the newest change would be and whether or not it would be a good one. Either way, I planned to enjoy myself this year more than I ever had before.

I spent that night wandering around the park, the same way I tried to spend all of my New Years. I like sitting in the park on the swings. It helped me focus on specific memories, happy ones.

(End Flashback)

Images of swing sets and a winter night fluttered away as I was brought back to reality. Hatsuharu stood with his arms crossed as he waited for an answer from the boys. "So, am I right? You ditch the New Years banquet to try and keep these two as far away from Akito as possible, yeah?"

Kyo stomped up and began yelling in his face. "What are you doing here anyways Haru? You don't have any business with Tohru and Jaden so why are you bringing them up?" Hatsuharu crossed his arms and smirked. "I came to fight you. I was going to challenge you at the banquet but you ditched so I came instead."

"What! Man I don't have time for this. I'm going back to school." I watched Kyo turn to leave. Hatsuharu's aura seemed to darken and he head butted Kyo in the back of his head. "OWW!" Turning around to yell at him, Kyo froze like the rest of us at the sight of Hatsuharu. He had gone dark in appearance and mannerisms.

"Great, he's gone black." Yuki drawled out as he leaned backwards against the wall of concrete. Hatsuharu's eyes held a gleam of something dangerous and untamed. And by the looks of things, a side of him much like a raging bull had come out to play and had his eyes set on Kyo.

Interesting….

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**I can not begin to say how sorry I am for the late update! My play was cancelled because of flooding and then we went through all kinds of hell trying to get practices and things situated. But my last performance was tonight and we rocked their socks off! Thank You all for being patient and supportive! I hate getting this out so late.**

**Lots of Love From Me To You!**

**-Rat**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Heyo! I'm glad you all enjoyed my last chapter! Konekoko, you are a good guesser, but not quite. **

**School is out so I can give it a whirl at updating more often but like normal, no promises! Hope you like this chapter.**

**-Rat**

**Disclaimer- I own absolutely nothing besides Jaden and what other strange plot twist I throw in that is not in the glorious original!**

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7

_"He's gone black."_ I mulled over Yuki's statement as I edged away from the brewing fight. I could see what he might have meant. Haru's entire demeanor had taken on a much darker aspect. From his smoke colored eyes to his smirk, this Haru was not the same person I had meant ten minutes ago. "Hatsuharu has a bit of a split personality. Whenever someone makes the mistake of enraging him or doing anything of that sort he goes Black. Normally he's a very nice quiet teenager, but his black side is quite the delinquent and a real pain in the neck." By the bored tone I could tell Yuki has had to deal with quite a few 'Black Haru' situations.

"Come on Kyo! Fight me! Or are you going to run away from me the same way you ran away and hid from Akito?" Haru jeered at Kyo, mocking him and laughing as he threw insults left and right. Kyo stood simmering as he processed the situation. I scooted away until I was standing next to Yuki and Tohru. _Something tells me that this is going to get messy real soon…_

*THUD* Kyo kicked Haru up into the air. He came hurtling to the ground like a rock and landed not far from us. Despite having just been airlifted he seemed more pleased now that before. "That's more like it!" Haru rushed at Kyo again and the battle began. Haru punched and kicked and Kyo blocked everything that was thrown at him. Until of course, Haru got in a punch across the jaw. Kyo rolled with it, growling as he swung around. Haru had made him take the offensive and was soon going to regret it.

"Shouldn't we…stop them…or...I don't know…?" Tohru stuttered out as she watched the fight, completely transfixed. "They're fine Ms. Honda. The two of them go at it with each other as often as possible. It was only a matter of time before Haru came back to finish his latest challenge. It's best to let them get it out of their systems." Yuki coughed a little bit at the end of his explanation for his apathy. He was looking a little under the weather, but I was never the best judge when it came to actual illnesses. Before I could comment a black and white blob flew past me to slam into the small space of wall left in between Yuki and me.

Haru groaned a little but jumped back towards Kyo, his eyes gleaming at the thrill of the fight. As I watched I realized just how much Kyo had been holding back on me. The two of them were fairly evenly matched, but as far as superior skill and handling it seemed that Kyo seemed to have the upper hand. Both fought with a passion, 'maximum rage' as Tohru would put it, but Kyo seemed to have a better control on his…most of the time.

Haru got another good punch in and Kyo stepped back to breathe holding his side. Haru sauntered up to Yuki and placed a hand on his chin. "Are you enjoying the fight Yuki? Don't worry; I'm coming for you next." I could see the thinly veiled annoyance on Yuki's face as he stared up disinterested. "Shouldn't you be fighting with Kyo?" Haru grinned and stepped back about to rejoin his battle when he caught my eye. Any other time I would have glared and slunk backwards into the shadows. Leaving him with an impression of superiority on my part. Okay maybe not. But I would have definitely glared.

This time however my sassy, fighting spirit was drowned by curiosity about this dually hued stranger in front of me. Instead of glaring I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms. He must have taken this as a sign that he was allowed to approach. And approach me he did.

Haru was practically straddling me against the wall and I heard a squeal from the easily startled Tohru and a pair of gasps from the other Sohma boys. "Hey there cutie, you look lonely. You want to have some fun with me after I finish beating this dumb cat to a pulp?" He gripped my waist and picked me up, pinning me against the wall so we were at eye level. He leaned his lips in close to my neck and his warm breath made me shiver against my wishes.

_This better be a… what did Yuki say…'Black Haru' thing, otherwise Haru is soooo dead._ I could feel the smirk against my skin and I scowled over his shoulder while rolling my eyes. "Or, we could always start now…?" His nose skimmed my neck and I snorted. Looking at Yuki who was staring wide eyed at the spectacle unfolding before him I mouthed a question. _'Black Haru?'_ He nodded, his mouth hanging open as he gaped. That was all I needed to know. So long as this wasn't Hatsuharu's normal behavior when he wasn't black then I had no issues dealing with the situation as politely as I see fit. Then of course apologizing afterwards, because I ten to not see a very high degree of politeness as necessary in this type of situation.

"Sorry Slick, I don't see this working out. So I suggest you let go." A clearly false amount of sugar coating covered the threat completely and my sweet heart smile was the first thing he saw when I wrenched his head upright so I could look him in the eyes. Smoldering gray stared back in amazement, or was that amusement? It might have been a bit of both. "Feisty huh? I like that in a girl. I think I might want to make you mine." His grip didn't loosen after my threat; it actually got tighter and little more invasive. His hands slipped from my waist to my thighs and I scowled darkly.

"But I bet you're all bark and no," He snapped his teeth inches from my nose and chuckled as I involuntarily flinched ever so slightly in reaction, "bite." Kyo who had been standing in the background with his jaw on the ground as he caught his breath and tried to process what exactly was happening started forward growling. But I beat him to the punch. "Is that so?" My closed fist caught him on the side of his face and knocked him backwards. Stunned he let me fall back to the ground.

I crouched down as I landed on the balls of my feet. Black Haru stumbled backward and then locked his eyes on me glared. Those smoky eyes burning. "Why you little-!" He ran at me and made to hit me but I sidestepped. His fist hit the concrete wall behind me and cracks could be seen spider-webbing out from the impact. Yuki's low movement tactic paid off after all. He turned around and ran at me again. Unfortunately in his enraged state he seemed to have let his zodiac's tendencies take over and was running head long, with his head very low to the ground, at me.

I sidestepped again, this time bringing my knee up so that I caught him in the stomach as he ran past. He doubled over and I finished by knocking him the back of the head with my fist. He hit the ground stunned. Too bad for me he took me with him.

So in the end he was sprawled out on the ground, head in my lap for all practical purposes and I was stuck there because compared to me the boy weighed a ton. He groaned and began to try and sit up. I was about to try and either get an apology out of him or start lecturing him for picking on girls when Kyo took over.

"You little brat!" He had Haru by the scruff of the neck and yanked him into an upright position. The sight of the orange top must of helped him wake up a bit because the two of them were about to start going at it again until Yuki began to cough. Their fight was interrupted yet again and all heads turned towards Yuki, who was now sliding down the wall. "YUKI!" I got up as fast as I could and ran towards him. He looked terrible and his breathing was really raspy.

_ I am such an idiot! I KNEW he wasn't feeling good earlier, he even mentioned it last night and I didn't do a thing about it! IDIOT!_ I tried to help him sit up while I berated my self. He leaned forward trying to catch his breath. Kyo and Haru stopped to look at each other.

"We can finish this later, right Kyo?" Haru's voice was beginning to mellow out and he seemed to be slowly fading back to white. "Yeah, sure." No matter how big Kyo talked he still cared about his cousin, even if he _was_ the rat. It was times like these that made it clear just how much the Sohma really cared about each other.

"We should probably get him to Hatori." Haru reached towards Yuki only to have him grab on to his hand. He pitched forward and I just barely was able to catch his shoulders before he hit the ground.

One look at his expression made it clear that going to Hatori at the Sohma compound was the last thing he wanted. _You really don't want to risk seeing that Akito fellow Yuki. What is it that makes you all feel this way about him?_

Haru sighed and it was obvious he was not going against such an expression. I don't think even Kyo could. "Alright, we'll just need to get him back to Shigure's house before he changes. You can lead the way right Kyo?" Kyo nodded. "But how are we going to carry him there?" Tohru's worried expression was in overdrive as she tried her best to help Yuki without making him transform.

"I've got an idea." Haru stood up and helped Tohru to her feet. I couldn't tell whether or not he had fully made his way back from black or not so I watched him with wary eyes. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me…" Kyo turned around, no doubt sensing what Haru was about to do.

A predatory grin pulled at his lips and I was five seconds from letting Yuki drop to pounce on him. But I was still feeling guilty so I just slit my eyes and waited. "I'm a lucky guy. If I'm going to do it, I'm lucky it's with someone as cute as you." Tohru blinked confusedly and then he grabbed her by the shoulders and yanked her into a hug. I almost missed his smirk turn into something more wistful and, maybe even, sad? I must have imagined it, at least I think… oh never mind.

Next thing we knew Haru was gone, in a sense, and in his stead stood a steer. _I need to cut back on the Dr. Seuss, either that or Tohru's whimsy has started to rub off on me._ Tohru blinked again as she stared at the steer- quit that Jaden. As she stared at the _cow _in front of her. "Put him on my back. We can make it to Shigure's faster this way."

"Was there not a better way to do that?" Kyo grumbled as he came over to me. With his help, we had Yuki laid across Haru's back. Tohru and I walked on either side of him so that we were sure he didn't he fall off. Tohru walked with her arms around Haru's neck so that he wouldn't change back halfway there. It was a quiet walk and the most talking came from Tohru as she fretted over Yuki and tried to talk to Haru.

Please let us get back soon. I don't want to have to explain why three teenagers are ditching school while carrying a sick teen on the back of a cow through the streets of our normally fairly normal town. With a sigh I pulled my hat down further and settled in for the walk.

Once we had gotten Yuki home Shigure put his typical joking manner aside and acted like an adult. Yuki was stretched out on his bed right now looking paler than usual and sweating pretty badly. "Is he going to be alright?" Tohru whimpered, cling to my side while looking down at his still form. I could understand her concern, but she was acting like he was going to die or something.

"Not to worry Tohru my flower! He'll probably be feeling better real soon, we should probably still call Hatori though." Hatsuharu –still in cow form I might add- turned to the door. It still confuses me as to how we had actually managed to get the cow inside Yuki's room. "I'll call him." And with a poof of gray smoke Hatsuharu began making his way down the stairs. Tohru squealed as he cavalierly strode through the house in his birthday suit. I covered her eyes with a hand whilst looking towards the ceiling.

"Would you put some clothes on?" Kyo and I synchronized. He simply waved us off. He did grab his clothes from Kyo on the way to the stairs though. We stared down at Yuki who was sweating like crazy. "Come on Tohru, let's go down stairs and get out from underfoot. She nodded and we made our way down stairs. I was praying all the way down that we wouldn't run into a naked or even half naked Hatsuharu. Apparently there is a god and he does love me despite previous evidence against him, because when we made into the hallway Hatsuharu was fully dressed and finishing up his phone call with Hatori.

"So, what'd he say?" I cocked my head to the side bored while Tohru leaned forward anxious for news. "He said he'd come over as soon as possible. Apparently every one at the main house is kind of under the weather as well, so it may take him a while. He didn't sound all that happy with me though. I wonder what I did."

His face looked so innocent; it was amazing that this was the same boy who had practically tried to rape me an hour ago. "Maybe it's because you where wandering around lost for three days instead of being in school where you should be?"

Kyo wandered down the stairs behind us. "Maybe you're right." Kyo tsked and waltzed up to him appearing the tough guy we all know he tries his hardest to be. "So you wanta finish our fight now?" Haru shrugged. Not at all the kind of response Kyo was looking for. "Not really, maybe later."

I swear, you could visibly see Kyo blow a gasket as Hatsuharu said that. "Maybe later! Who do you think you are? You show up begging for a fight and then you just brush me off! Why you little-" I cut him off smacking him on the top of the head. "Would you just shut up you baka? Go to back to school or something." He growled at me his glare at a level ten on the scary scale. I yawned in his face and we all watched his temper grow just a little more before deflating. "Fine whatever. Screw this I'm going back to school and you can't stop me!" We all watched as he slammed the door behind him. "I think we should be thankful Yuki didn't see that for Kyo's sake."

Two heads nodded in agreement and we wandered into the kitchen. Tohru got to work cleaning up the breakfast dishes we had left this morning while she had the chance. I was going to help but Haru began drying dishes without seeming to bat an eye. With nothing to do I perched myself on the counter and supervised. "They seem to be getting along better." Haru tossed out a random statement as put up a stack of bowls. "Who? Yuki and Kyo? They fight every day." Tohru asked wide eyed as she handed him sopping wet cups. "But neither of them is severely injured, and Kyo actually helped bring him back home. They're better." He said it so finally, neither me nor Tohru bothered to argue the point further. _If this is better, I wouldn't want to see bad…_

"Not to long ago if you put the two of them in the same room something or someone would end up broken or bloodied up. But the house seems intact and it looks like things are pretty peaceful here. I wonder why?" He looked at Tohru with a raised eyebrow and I had to hold back a chuckle as she nodded obliviously, "Yep, things aren't exactly peaceful like you say but they are really nice. I love it here, and the boys and everyone are really kind." She handed him a frying pan and he just nodded along with her as she put it up. "I guess that's good. The house is intact so it seems Shigure's happy, and Hatori hasn't had to come patch anyone up recently, well, not too recently." Now it was my turn to try and act oblivious. My acting skills however are apparently not enough to fool anyone more than Tohru on a daily basis, and even then I'm rusty. So of course when I glanced back Haru was looking at me with a raised eyebrow making it very clear that he had figured out I was the reason for Hatori's most recent visit. He opened his mouth to ask a question but I shook my head vigorously. He cocked his head to the side and creased his forehead. He began again. I could either leap across Tohru from my spot on the counter and shut him up or I could hope to high heaven that he wasn't going to ask what I thought he was going to. Plan A sounds….

I wasn't fast enough, my feet where pulled up and I was beginning to crouch for my leap when he beat me to the punch. "Why was Hatori here last time Tohru?" She blinked in confusion. "Hatori was here? I didn't know that. When did he come by, I must have missed him." Don't answer her- "About five days ago if I remember right. Yeah, because I left three days ago." She shook her head. "Hana and Uo were here that day. I left to go get them and Jaden walk home with Yuki and Kyo… They didn't mention him coming by. Jaden did-"

Diversion time! "Whoa, shoot!" The counter was sort of wet about where I had been sitting, so my crash to the floor wasn't completely without reason. Okay, it was lame distraction technique worthy of a five year old, but I didn't have much to work with. I was successful though because Tohru stopped mid question to see that I was okay. "Jaden! Are you hurt?" I clutched my shoulder, "Oww, I'm alright. Just peachy." Stupid Jaden! That really hurt! I had wanted it to be convincing, not real!

And of course because this ploy was a Jaden productions I forgot to look out for the 'Insert monkey wrench here' moment. I am an idiot on levels not yet recognizable by the human race. "Here, I'll got take you to your room. Tohru would you grab an ice pack?" She saluted and got an ice pack together. I was hoisted from my place on the ground into the arms of the dual hued boy. I felt the transformation as he held me, it was a subtle tug and pull here and there. It actually kind of tickled. "I'm fine you guys, I'll just go lay down for a little bit and then I'll be fine." He didn't budge and Tohru placed ice pack on my shoulder so it was resting against Haru's chest to keep it from slipping off. She actually waved at me as he carried me upstairs to our room.

_If I didn't know better I'd say you were a traitor Tohru…_In no time at all he was putting me on the bed. I held the ice pack to my shoulder and waved him off when he reached to help. "I'm fine. Go help Tohru or Shigure or something. I don't need to be babied."

I had hoped he would have left at that, or at least gotten offended and stormed out. Then he would have at the least have disappeared. But no, that would have been too easy. "Why wouldn't you let Tohru ask you why Hatori was here?" _Not the type to beat around the bush huh?_

"I don't see how that concerns you at all. Thank you for doing the unnecessary and carrying me up here. Now, if you would be so kind as to leave."

Then he smiled in pure elation at having served me so well and left at once to be a nuisance else where. Yeah, I wish…

The ice pack was wrenched from my hands despite my protests. Hatsuharu gave me a level look that was void of emotion and made my spine tingle. "It's better if you lie down and quit using that arm to prop you up. Take off your jacket so I can better look at it. I think it might be dislocated" I never like being ordered around, and this time was no exception. "I'm fine. Now leave. I'm a big girl and can take care of myself."

He sighed. "Please?" Not so much pleading as it was and order through clenched teeth. I narrowed my eyes and enunciated slowly. "Not going to happen." Rolling his eyes he placed the ice pack on the side table. "You leave me no choice." That is not the kind of thing you want to hear, especially from some one with a known dark side.

Before I could say 'I don't think so' I was pinned against the head board. _Why is it that I always find myself pinned with this guy? Is there nothing better he can come up with to do?_ "Now take the jacket off and let me look at it or I'll take it off for you." I glared at him through my bangs, his own shaggy curtain making it hard to properly see his eyes. But through the fringe I could tell his eyes didn't seem the same dark as they had from earlier this morning.

Now came the problem. I couldn't very well take off my jacket without him finding out about my little secret. Yuki was the only one who knew and I had been hoping it would stay that way. But apparently once you tell one person, everyone finds out. Secrets I better left to one person, if only I had been so lucky. My only other options would be to scream for help, but that would attract more attention that it was worth and it still might get out.

_I hate it when things get out my control. _"Alright, chill out. Back up." He smiled a cheerful grin and slid backwards. "That's better now, I'll have you fixed up in ju-" He stopped. I had slid off my jacket to reveal the tank top I had been forced to wear underneath it. Anything else wouldn't lie flat underneath the sleeves. But because of that the scars I normally covered up with high necked shirts were clearly exposed against my skin. They came up to the nape of my neck and covered my shoulders in a spider web pattern of crisscrossing of burns and cuts. Not a pretty sight to say the least.

His hands flitted across them as he stared openly. The lines on his forehead deepened as he knit his eyebrows together. "What is this." It came out part hiss part confused growl.

"Well, you said it might be dislocated. Personally I had come to much the same conclusion. But if you can't recognize a shoulder when you see one then I think its best you don't try and give me any kind of medical help outside of a band-aid."

Note to Jaden, don't do anything like be and smart-aleck around Hatsuharu without being completely sure he is now where near being black. Experience the thing you get, right after you needed it most. I never knew how right that statement was.

"Don't be an idiot! What is this? Who the heck did this to you? Nobody messes with my girl and gets away with it." Yep definitely Black Haru, White Haru isn't stupid or deranged enough to even come anywhere close to the idea I was his or anybody's. "Tell who did this I wring their sorry little necks for you Cutie." He held my chin up with his fist and I could see that despite the psychotic derangement of the offer, it was a sincere one. But, this guy had already pushed me around today and I was not in the mood to try and argue politely with someone who is as stubborn as I can be.

"I don't think so Slick. We've only just met after all. Not that I don't appreciate the offer of course, but it's none of your concern. Now bring back the sweet Hatsuharu so he can fix my shoulder or buzz off and leave me alone. I haven't forgiven you for earlier either jerk." He simmered down a little and leaned forward to purr in my ear.

"If that's what you want Cutie. But I don't have to be a nice guy to help you out you know?" Then a loud pop filled the room and was collapsed forward grasping Haru so hard my knuckles turned white. "Sorry Sugar, if I had warned you, you would have tensed." He massaged my shoulder for a minute as I whimpered into his shirt feeling one hundred percent pathetic. "Now, now, don't cry. You'll feel better now, promise." He tucked me into bed and all I could do was growl out some obscenities in his general direction that I wasn't aware I knew. Laying my ice pack across my shoulder he chuckled and narrowly dodged my weak attempt to swat at him with my good arm. "Wait." He paused. "Yes _princess?"_ He was having too much fun with the nicknames. Some how I know I am never going to be able to get rid of this guy. "Don't tell anyone about this, got it." The adrenaline and shock from him popping my shoulder back into place was beginning to wear off. He only nodded. A sharp wolf like grin spreading across his features. He'd make a pretty good dog for the Zodiac too I'd say with an expression like that.

"Whatever. Sleep tight Cutie, I'll be looking out for you later." With a kiss to my fore head he left, shutting the lights of as he closed the door behind him.

_What have I done now?... _

**(A/N) Ahh! I am again so sorry I took so long to get this chapter out. But I feel pretty happy with the finished product my self. I'd love to hear what you think. Oh, and if anyone speaks French and would be willing to supply some random phrases or something I could use in my OHSHC fanfic it would be greatly appreciated. I am far from fluent in anything besides English and Bad English, so anything, even something like "where are my pants?" from someone who is even only conversationally fluent would be appreciated. I love you all so much and can't thank you enough for being patient with me. **

**Lots of Love from Me to You,**

**-Rat**


	8. Chapter 8

**(A/N): Hey guys! Sorry I'm late as always but I have good reasons….. That's all I'll bother to put down. I hope everyone is enjoying their summer that has one right now; mine has gone somewhat downhill as of late. But because of that I have been gifted with the opportunity to properly grace you with a new chapter sometime before I thought I would get one out.**

**Disclaimer: Jaden is mine and is all that is mine. If Fruits Basket belonged to me Haru (Black or White) would have way more screen time.**

**And away we go…**

8

Unbeknownst to the now slumbering Jaden, a rather confused Hatsuharu stood propped up against her door. He stared at the ceiling as if the answers he where looking for would come falling through to him like Kyo on a rampage. No such thing was happening.

Propelling himself forward he made to visit Yuki only to pause once again as a thought came to him. _I remembered…_ Not only had he remembered what Black Haru had been doing, he had been there for it. "I went black, but I was nice to her, I remember wanting to be nice to her…" He trailed off and glanced back at the door he had shut only moments before. "Guess I need to stick around for a little longer." Dejectedly he continues his trek to his elder cousin's room, "If only Yuki were feeling better, he'd know what to do." Sighing he opened the door to find Tohru hovering over him like a worried mother hen. _She's good for them, both of them. _He walked up behind her and she let out a startled squeak.

"Hatsuharu! You scared me; I was going to go check on you and Jaden in a minute or two. How is she?" She looked worried, yet she seemed somehow more resigned in her troubles than she was with Yuki's condition. "She's fine, she's sleeping now. When she wakes up we may want to put her arm in a sling and have Hatori check it out when he gets here, other than that I think she'll live." Tohru smiled, though it didn't seem to quite reach her eyes as well as others she had given him.

"What about you? You all right Tohru?" She jumped again and immediately began denying any thing other than perfect health or worry for her friends and family. But as he eyed her she faltered in her protests for just a moment. And it was just enough for him to guess what was the matter. 'You're worried about Jaden aren't you?" She simply nodded and bit her lip as she looked Hatsuharu beseechingly. "Something, just feels off about her, I can't remember if this is new or if I've always had this feeling around her but, it just feels like there is something she isn't telling me. Do you know what it is?"

His mind flashed back to before, the scars on her back, the things she had said. One particular came to mind. _Don't tell anyone about this._ He really wanted to know the whole story, what could have possibly been so bad she would even hide it from her own kin? "No, I don't. I'd just relax if I was you, she's a tough kid, and she'll be fine." That seemed to ease her mind well enough. The two moved back to watching over Yuki, each of them with their minds churning over the events of the day.

When I woke up it was still daylight, so I either had only been out for a couple of hours or I had been out for way longer than I had hoped to be. Swinging my feet over then bed I reached up to touch my shoulder. It was still sore but it felt like it would be perfectly fine. Flinching at the cold floors I wandered towards the door. I grabbed my jacket off the foot of my bead from where Haru put it earlier. Poking my head out into the hallway I saw that it was clear and made my way to Yuki's room. The rest of the house seemed too quite so I figures with Yuki's illness it would be the reason for the silence.

When I opened the door I was not prepared for what met me. "Hatori, I get why Yuki's sick but could you explain the rest of them? And why are they all in their animal forms?" The scene before me was borderline comical with a rat, cat, and a dog all tucked into their little pallets. None of them looked all that good so I stood with my head cocked to the side as I waited for my answer.

"Certain things outside of being hugged will make members of the zodiac change. When they become too stressed, too cold, or if they get very sick members are also likely to transform. Yuki was changed when I got here. These two idiots I found out later had been playing cards outside in this weather for extended periods of time." The scowl on his face made it clear that he was most displeased with their latest acts of incurable idiocy. That didn't stop him from attempting to treat it though as he nonchalantly injected Shigure without giving warning making him yelp. Despite being only partially conscious Kyo squirmed as far away from the dragon as he could trying to escape the inevitable. His fate however was set.

*Hiss* "Come on Hatori! That hurt!" For someone who looked as sick as he did he still managed to be angry with an ease that was almost enviable. "You must be a sadist Hatori, but I can see with this bunch how you might have developed such a condition." He chuckled while the rest of the Sohma boys in the room voiced their contempt at being referred to in such a fashion. "You've only met half of them." He said in his dark monotone. He began to pack up, finished with his treatment for Yuki and the idiots as he had dubbed them. A voice I was starting to become very familiar with spoke up form his place next to Tohru. "Hatori, would you mind checking her shoulder? I had to pop it back into place for her earlier but I'd feel better if you looked at it."

Sounding very much like a pissed off pussy cat Kyo growled up from his spot on the floor. "What did you do _now _Jaden? Can't go a full week without hurting yourself can you?" I walked over and scratched his ears. "Now, now putty tat, be nice or I'll but a bell on you. Maybe a pretty bow even?" He growled and swatted at my hand and nibbled on my fingers when he caught them. "You're a twerp you know that." He managed to get out around his grip on my hand. "I try."

Hatori set his bag down and walked over to where Kyo and I were wrestling. He inspected my shoulder and then procured a sling for me to use. He must have seen me groan because before he left he gave instructions for me to where it for at least two days and then he would decide. I had always been a fairly fast healer and despised being tied down by stupid slings and other such medical paraphernalia. But you don't argue with Hatori, he's one of those do-it-or-suffer-the-consequences kinds of guys.

He made his way to leave and told Haru to come along. He started to follow but then stopped. "I think I should stay here while everyone else is sick. Leaving the girls to fend for themselves doesn't seem like a good idea." Before I could feel offended at having Haru think I couldn't take care of the others and I Hatori gave his consent. "You're probably right, wouldn't want killing herself while trying to make dinner or something." _Why you little!_ "Hey! I'm not a klutz! I earn every injury I get fair and square!" I flinched as memories of my father saying something very similar to me.

_You worthless piece of trash! You're nothing but a waste of space! *Smash* I fell to the floor that was covered in glass bottles, some whole and as I found out, some broken and very sharp. "I'm sorry Dad. What did I do? I'll fix it I promise." My words were faint; I rarely spoke around my father unless it was completely necessary. "Don't act stupid!" he bellowed from above me. His face came closer until it wasn't but inches away from my own. "I'll bet with you it isn't act though, right? You're stupid. Everything I give to you you've earned you little brat." He kicked a broken bottle that was lying on the ground at me. I felt it tear through the skin at the base of my neck, the warm blood trickling down my back staining yet another of my shirts. "Fair and square." Sipping from his newest alcoholic beverage he left me in the floor chuckling to himself. _

I was called out of my reverie by Kyo nipping on my hand a little harder than normal. I shook myself out of it and looked up to see matching faces of worry on both the rooms human and animal occupants. Shigure rolled over onto his belly, his tail wagging in confusion. "Jaden? What's that supposed to mean?" I just shook my head and pet Kyo.

"It doesn't mean anything, you're over reacting Shigure." Kyo nipped my hand again, no doubt trying to keep me on this planet long enough for him to fuss at me personally. Not on the mood to have trying fix things when he's not even three feet tall I flicked him on the nose disorientating him. Walking over trying to break the uncomfortable silence, I grabbed Tohru with my good arm. "Hey Tohru, lets go make lunch. I'm hungry after all of that running today."

She smiled and nodded and trotted downstairs with me. Out of the corner of my eye I thought I saw her share a look with Haru, but that might have been my imagination. When we got down stairs Tohru and I got started on making lunch. I began the rice and Tohru got started on the fish. I had opted for peanut butter sandwiches, but apparently these strange people own not a single jar of peanut butter. The jelly I might have understood but the peanut butter? Inhuman.

Sometime later Hatori walked down stairs. He glared at me as he came to stand in the kitchen door way. "If I hear you've had that sling off a minute before I say you can…" He trailed off as he lit a cigarette. His single eyed glare made certain that threat was not empty. I waved him off as I started working on rice balls, "Yes sir, you got it. I'll be a good girl." He began muttering under his breath as he walked towards the door. "Yo, Dragon-Man!" Hatori turned, a puff of smoke giving him the aura of a slightly perturbed ancient dragon. "Yes Jaden?" He was only humoring me now. "Catch." He reached up just in time to catch my lightly thrown projectile. "Take a rice-ball to-go Doc, you seem to be having a rough day."

With another puff he nodded at me. "Thank you then. I'll be off. Take care of those idiots you two." In a flashback to our childhood Tohru and I snapped to attention, clicking our heels together and saluting. "Sir, yes Sir!" He waved half heartedly over his shoulder sighing.

Approximately the same time Hatori exited the building Hatsuharu rejoined us downstairs. "Think Fast!" Unlike Hatori, Hatsuharu was not quick enough to catch my projectile. And unlike with Hatori, I threw this one much harder. To sum up, Hatsuharu did catch the rice ball, only he caught it with his face. The napkin I had wrapped it in was now lying on top of his head like a silly crooked veil. "Jaden! Stop throwing rice balls at people, it's not nice." Tohru scolded. I can't call that scolding though when she has to cover her mouth to keep the giggles from seeping out. Hatsuharu hadn't moved until now. He slowly reached up to grab the napkin off his head. Letting it fall to the floor he walked calmly to me. Scrapping the extra rice off his face he flicked it at me. I smirked and arched an eyebrow at his actions.

"You want to take this outside Haru?" It wasn't until the words left my mouth did I recognize the dark grey tone in his eyes and demeanor. He smirked and cupped my face in his hands. Tohru let out a barely audible 'this isn't good'. "I'd like that a lot _Angel_." Before I could argue or give my signature smart aleck reply to Haru's darker half I was picked up bridal style. "What the heck?" I kicked and squirmed until he finally readjusted me. "If you don't stop squirming, I'm going to have to drop you. Odds are than shoulder will pop out place again too. I don't think you want me to do that again for you Sweetheart?"

Cowed, (by now in more ways than one seeing as my features had changed yet again) I clung to him quietly as he took us out side. He winked at Tohru as we passed. "Don't wait up." She looked on in confusion; I could see the wheels turning in her head as she tried to figure out what to do. It wasn't long before I couldn't see her any more. Haru walked us out deep into the forest. He set me down in front of a large tree. I made to move but he put his arms up. "Look. The jury is still out over whether or not I completely like you or not, but I swear if try to pin me against something one more time I will make being a man very uncomfortable for you."

He winced but laughed. "Definitely a feisty one. Alright, if you promise not to run away then I promise not to pin you in." He leaned across me to whisper in my ear, "If you do try, I'll switch to a leash." I stepped back and leaned against the tree, sliding down until I was sitting comfortably in the soft dirt. Haru settled down next to me. "So, you said you were going to tell what all that was about earlier." I blinked and looked at him.

"No I didn't. I said it was none of you concern and not to tell anyone about it." Haru nodded. "Yeah, thing is. You told me to tell anyone, and as I recall _we've only just met_. That makes me think you owe me one for keeping my trap shut. Or I could just tell."

He was acting as nonchalant as possible, making light of his blackmail. "I see why they call you Black Haru. Fine. I'll answer questions, no promises you'll like my answers." He gave the same wolfish grin from earlier. "You're seeing me mellow Babe. I'm not used to acting so tame; you just seem to have that effect on me. First question: Who gave you those scars on your back?"

I had figured he would ask that one, "The same person who gave me these." I pulled back my sleeves to reveal multiple by now white circle scars on the inside of my arms." Haru growled again but this time he refrained from insults. "Cheater, Question Two: What did you mean by you get every injury you deserve? You spaced out after you said that."

I didn't have a loophole to wriggle out of this one. "It's nothing that concerns you. Next question." Why did I know that wasn't going to work? Next thing I knew I had a pissed looking Haru straddling my knees as he glared. "I let you get away with those cheap tricks first round; I consider this to be running away you know. Should I call Ayame to have you fitted for a leash? His snarl showed he wasn't going to put up with my stalling much longer. _If I can keep it between Yuki and Haru then I'll be fine. Anyone else and then I'm just going to have to give up. _On a side note I couldn't help wondering who this Ayame was, they referred to him in such odd fashions…

"I'll play nice then, just so long as you get off of me." Haru looked to the sky in mock thought. Not there was any other kind of thought with him. "No, I think I like this." He moved closer, walking forward on his hands until our chests were practically touching. "I said get off!" I felt my face heat up in what I assumed to be anger as I pushed him as hard as I could with my good arm. What I wasn't expecting was for him to take me with him. As he fell back wards I was pulled forwards, his arms encircling my waste and wrapping around my bad arm, keeping the jostling to a minimum. When I opened my eyes the dark smoky orbs of Haru's were looking up at me. We sat there stunned for a minute, neither of us knowing what exactly to say.

Not fond of awkward silences I decided to fix it. "You have really pretty hair." Bad Jaden that was not the way to fix things! Just because you like his hair did not mean you had to tell this egotistical idiot. "Why thank you, I must say I didn't know you could be so forward." With that I rolled off of him trying to do it gently. Thankfully he didn't try to stop me and let his arms drop. That didn't mean he didn't complain though.

"Aw, come on Princess. I was comfortable." I growled at him, "Then you can get over it. Do you want me continue talking or can I go back yet?" He rolled over on to his stomach so he could give me his version of the do-as-I-say-or-suffer-the-consequences look. "Right fine. I spaced out because my Dad…My Dad used to say something like that to me a lot." Haru was no idiot. He could make an intellectual leap. And when he did he sat bolt up. "Your father! That's the idiot who did this, how long has he been doing this?" I sighed and closed my eyes. "You and Yuki over react. I moved to Japan, he's not going to follow me, he let me go even. It's not going to happen anymore."

"That didn't answer the question Jaden. How. Long." I played with the blades of grass on the ground as I loathed answering this question. "When did I come here again?" A loud breath rolled out of Hatsuharu as he stood up. "That long." He growled and kicked a tree, leaving a rather frightening gash in the bark, and if it hadn't been for his boots I might have worried for his feet. "Haru, breaking the wildlife is not a healthy habit to get into." He turned on me and I saw a spark of the Black Haru I first saw, the one that fought with Kyo under the bridge. For some odd reason that didn't scare me at all. Instead I felt, sad.

"How can you be so calm about all of this? How can you not be screaming in rage, wanting to bust down doors and kill that good for nothing father of yours? If you can even call him that." I just sat up and looked at him, folding my legs up criss-cross so I would be more comfortable as he ranted. "Not one Sohma kid with the curse ever has a good child hood, but we at least have each other. You've had absolutely no one! You haven't even told Tohru about this. Why on earth would you keep this from your own family? You are either to caring for your own good or too stubborn.

_Can I not be both?_ I teased mentally. He brought his eyes up to meet mine, they smoldered as a new thought entered his head. "Or you're a masochist." I laughed at that one. "HA! Funny Haru. Trust me, I hate doctors and medicine too much to enjoy pain. Why would I have left if I liked it?" This seemed to subdue his rage. But that was the same thing as saying a hurricane had gone from category five to four. It means only a little less carnage for the troubled townsfolk.

Haru kicked the tree again once he learned I was ignoring him rant in favor for braiding blades of grass together. I watched the chunks of bark and wood splinters arc away from the tree. Because I was watching the bark I missed Haru coming to loom over me. I felt his hands roughly jerk my head in his direction. I hissed and he knelt down so we were on the same level.

"One more thing. Not a question, a promise. You do something stupid again, _anything_ stupid again, I swear I will show up and personally deal with you." His eyes were that shade of gray that made my fighting spirit want to die. Haru was so much stronger than me in so many ways. Physically he was obviously the more skilled and by the look in his eyes it was clear he got out more than I did. One thing about him bothered me more than his level of strength that left me envious. His personality.

"Who are you?" That seemed to catch him off guard. "Who are you Haru? Everyone always talks as if you have a split personality, like that you become a psychotic murderer and then a passive kind teenager. I can't tell if you're Black Haru or if you're White Haru with a slight temper. You don't act anything like I would plan for you to. We've only just met and you're more protective than me than makes sense. I can't figure you out Hatsuharu Sohma. Who the heck are you?"

He crossed his arms and thought, his face passive. After a minute he broke from his daze and gave a violent shake of his head. "It doesn't matter who the heck I am. I'm me, Black or White. You aren't helping things either gorgeous. Normally I am like that. A psycho with a wonderful sense of fun and then a bland, caring, considerate, individual. With you around you're screwing up the way things work. I can't be Black or white around you, I just feel, Grey." He spit it out almost reluctantly. I hadn't figured him the type to talk freely about feelings with others so I ignored any agitation he directed at me.

"Well, that clears things up. Barely. Can we go back and get lunch now? I'm hungry." He stared at me like I had grown another head. "What? You drag me out here in the middle of my preparations for lunch, delaying the food that had been promised to me, and you expect me to just forget about something as important as food just because we established that our lives suck?" Standing up and brushing the stray dirt from my out fit off I headed back in the direction of the house. My petite bare feet stepped on top Haru's gargantuan black boots as I passed because he stood in my way like and idiot. I could have been the grown up and walked around him, but I didn't feel like it.

I got maybe ten feet away from where I left him before I felt him walk behind me and whisper in my ear, "I intend to keep my promise." I really wish he wouldn't.

By the time we got back Tohru had finished making lunch and had been waiting anxiously by the back door. She either must have woken up the other Sohma boys or they must have felt a disturbance in the force, because they all sat around the table huddled in blankets. It might have just been the smell of food, but I was trying to be generous. They had turned back into their human forms by now and the glares they all shot in the direction of the door were much more impressive seeing as they weren't coming from animals that were three feet tall, tops.

Yuki was the first to speak due to some unwritten rule. Apparently he was the designated negotiator between the sane people and Black Haru. "Haru, pray tell what you have been doing that required you kidnapped Ms. Jaden for an extended length of time." Haru wrapped his arms around my waist. "Well, for starters I _am_ a teenage boy, according to all of you a delinquent one at that. At least when I go black. And seeing as she is one hot teenage girl-" I decided to cut him off by inserting elbow rather harshly into his side. As he doubled over I explained. "He had some questions he wanted to ask me." Kyo shot up, not believing it for a bit, but apparently his current physical state didn't agree with his spontaneous actions. As he crumpled to the floor and let out a cough he pointed an accusing finger in Haru's direction.

"And he couldn't ask you about them in the house? I don't by it. Let me at em' Shigure, I'll find out what happened." Shigure had a loose grip on the back of Kyo's shirt which seemed to suffice for incapacitating him in his fatigued state. "I don't think that's the best idea Kyo." Yuki coughed twice, the sound was painful to my ears and everyone else around him cringed. "Haru, what was the real reason you brought her out there for. If this is one of your little games or pranks I can't promise we won't sic Kyo on you." Yuki stared up at the younger boy coldly. Kyo argued in the background that he wasn't some attack dog. But his cries were lost on deaf ears as the reply came not from the cocky Black Haru, but from his tamer white half. "Nothing that matters now Yuki. You should know what I mean. Jaden just owed me an explanation or two."

Everyone watched in silence. Shigure blinked rapidly as he glanced from Haru, Yuki, and me. "Haru? Weren't you Black a minute ago? You never remember what happens when you're Black." Even Kyo shut up long enough to ponder this.

"I don't normally, I blame Jaden." He pat me on the head as he spoke and I stuck my tongue out at him. "So what if it is my fault. I actually think you're okay when you go black." Apparently that was too much for Shigure to comprehend in one day as he collapsed forward on the table muttering of apocalypses and fiery deaths. Kyo shook his head. "You're insane. That's all there is to it." I bowed cheekily in his direction. "It's a mad, mad world. Tohru! I left you to make lunch all by yourself. I feel like an idiot. Let me help clean up. By the way, is there anything left?" She giggled and led me off into the direction of the kitchen and got me food. Kyo jumped up saying he was hungry too and that it wasn't nice to leave him out. We laughed and let him slip in between us as we trudged off in search of food.

The only ones left now were Yuki, Haru, and a muttering Shigure. Yuki stared up at Haru. "You know then." His eyes looked down at his older cousin and idol sadly. "Yes, she doesn't seem as concerned as she should be." Yuki looked at the table in front of him and then glanced at their other cousin who had gotten quieter with his mumblings. "We'll talk about it later Haru. She told you to keep quiet about it too I am to assume." Haru nodded. "Yeah. I promised to keep quite and to," He stopped as confusion found its way onto his face. Yuki caught his hesitation. "What Haru?"

He spoke quietly, as if he wasn't sure of himself. "Nothing, just Black Haru's taken quite a liking to her. More than just attraction. He's almost possessive. And I'm not sure it's just him." Yuki soaked up this information and then nodded. "I see. We'll talk later. Why don't you go get something to eat?" Never the one to go against something Yuki said Haru dutifully made his way to the kitchen.

Once the door had been shut and the jovial sounds of the other teens teasing each other and laughing had faded Yuki turned toward Shigure who had by now fallen completely silent. "I hope you'll mid your own business Shigure, at least until she's ready to share with the rest of us." Shigure sat up, his eyes contemplative as he propped his head in his hand. "Normally I wouldn't even if you asked me Yuki. I'm not all that sure I won't now. But she's different; she's affected by the curse as much as the rest of us. Which I guess makes her family. So I'll let her keep her secrets for now." He got up and headed towards his office, probably to pretend to work for hours on end. Glancing over his shoulder he met Yuki's questioning gaze head on. "But because she's family, she'll be subject to the same rules and consequences as soon as Akito catches sent of her. As soon as that happens, I can't promise what anyone will do. I don't want that to happen, and neither do you. So I suggest you talk to her about sharing her secrets, no matter how dark they may be, with the rest of us. She's an outsider, and she'll want as many people on her side when the time comes. The same applies for Tohru, but she's at an advantage Jaden isn't at."

Yuki sat up and stared coldly at his cousin who was clearly with holding information. "What do you mean Ms. Honda is at an advantage over Ms. Jaden. Your hiding something you mutt. Tell me." Shigure laughed and replied darkly before heading to his study. "Unlike Tohru, Jaden isn't innocent. You can feel Tohru's innocence. You can sense it rolling of her in waves along with joy and compassion. Jaden however, she feels like pain and suffering, like secrets. It may just be animal instincts, but we all have them. Don't even pretend you can't feel it the same way. It will go for everyone in the zodiac. They'll trust Tohru, but they'll have a hard time trusting our other little flower, covered in as many thorns as she is."

Yuki sat pondering. Despite the urge he had to clock Shigure for being so secretive and downright creepy, he was right. He had felt it and had wondered. But to have it confirmed by Shigure was just the last nail in the coffin. If the only way for Ms. Jaden to be trusted by the rest of the family was to share her secrets, then he would have to convince her. He stood up and walked towards the kitchen where everyone else was having a grand old time. He thought about asking her now. About just getting it over with. As he opened the door he was caught off guard. "Yuki, think fast!" Barely catching the projectile in time he was splattered with stray pieces of rice.

A collective cry of Jaden was heard before Haru and Kyo tackled her to the floor in an impromptu wrestling match. Tohru was sitting on the counter out of harms way and was giggling as she scolded her. "I told you to stop throwing food at people Jaden. Now you've gone and involved Yuki too." Jaden wriggled so that she could see through the other appendages that were trying to pin her to the floor. Yuki snickered as she gained Kyo's eyes along Haru's cow ears. "I'm sorry Yuki! At least you caught it with your hands unlike these two who caught it with their faces!"

At her comment Kyo and Haru looked at each other before they began tickling her unmercifully. As she laughed loud and hard, giggling like crazy as they found her weak spots Yuki couldn't help shaking his head in defeat. No, he wouldn't spoil her fun. He'd talk to her later about it. Shuffling in to the kitchen munching on his rice ball he propped himself on the counter next to Tohru and chuckled.

_Just another normal day at the Sohma house, huh?_

**(A/N): Alright, chapter eight! Woot! I had been trying to get these out more regularly, but you guys got lucky and I found myself with a wonderful story idea and a lot of time to type uninterrupted. Hospitals are good for that. Anyways, I hope you all enjoyed it and would love to hear your feedback. I'll try my best to work on my other stories as well as this one, and because I updated Unusual Embrace first it may be a little while before the next update for it. **

**Keep your thoughts coming because I love to her from you!**

**With Lots of Love from Me to You,**

**-Rat**


	9. Chapter 9

**(A/N): I'M LATE and I'M SORRY! Okay… got that off my chest. I was having trouble pulling my thoughts together so everything flowed in this chapter. I want everything to flow because this is very important chapter I feel. And not just because I'm bringing in everyone's favorite bunny rabbit. School started back and I'm still getting used to things, it's a new school and I'm still figuring out the stupid block schedule.**

**I am going to work harder on checking for errors because I find myself cringing when I read over past chapters. I hope to improve on the quality from now on. Oh, and I had one or two people wonder what exactly Jaden meant when Haru asked her how long the abuse had been going on and she asked him how long she had been in Japan. I'm sorry if I was unclear, I could have written that better. In other words, Jaden was saying that she was being abused right up until the time she left for Japan. Haru inferred from her body language and hesitance if anyone wonders how in the world Haru could have figured that out. I'll try to make things clearer from now on.**

**I had someone ask about her eidetic memory, for those who haven't heard the term before it is basically a photographic memory. The technical definition of eidetic is 'able to recall or reproduce things previously seen, with startling accuracy, clarity, and vividness.' Basically it was something I thought would help add to the plot line and would help keep her from getting lost. I hope that helps anyone who was wondering.**

**Oh and because I am not used to the Japanese school systems calendar, I'm going to write this as if they have the whole weekend off. I can't remember if I have been doing this, but from now on this is how things are going to work just because it helps me. Long Author's Note today, so sorry. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing that isn't mine. Meaning that the wonder that is Fruits Basket belongs to one much greater and no doubt much richer than me. **

**And away we go…**

9

It was a Friday when it happened. Hatsuharu had decided not to leave the house if he didn't have to so he had been with us since the day we had our little chat in the woods. We managed to get him to leave for long enough to go to school, but there was little we could do to get him to go home. I'm not quite sure how he managed it but every day after school we walked in to find him sitting at the table munching on some snack. It's not like I really wanted him to leave, but it just took some getting used to having another body around the house.

But this Friday had nothing to do with Haru's apparent decision to move in with us. It didn't have anything to do with one of Kyo and Yuki's fights, or one of Shigure's perverted jokes. Tohru didn't do anything out of the ordinary or provoke emotional stirring within the hearts of those around her. No, this Friday started out just like any other. We got up, went to school. I warded of legions of Yuki fan-girls by being obnoxious and claiming his lap as my seat just because he was a much calmer pillow than Kyo. I stole lunch from anyone who would sit still long enough to share and sang loudly with Tohru what ever song we both knew the lyrics to.

After our rather creative rendition of _Miss Independent_ and then a version of _That Don't Impress Me Much _that received much eye rolling and laughing from the others the school day ended just as blandly as it began. By now Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, and I were walking leisurely back to Shigure's house. It was a Friday just like any other up until that point. Everything started with a silly suggestion from yours truly.

"Tag! You're it Kyo!" He groaned. "Come on Jaden! Why do you want to play a stupid kid's game?" He reached out for me only to get my hat instead. "Because I know I can beat you at it." As I predicted this was just the statement necessary to provoke Kyo's fighting spirit. "Oh you are on!" With that I dodged behind Yuki just in time for Kyo's attack to miss me. Too bad for Yuki it caught him in the shoulder. I snickered as I grabbed Tohru's arm and ran in the other direction. "Yuki's it! Come one Tohru, let's get out of here." We both giggled and ran off into the woods. I pulled her with my good arm past trees and over large roots. I was flashing back to times when we were both much shorter and our shoes sizes much smaller. Back when we would run just to run.

"Hurry up Tohru! If you don't pick up the pace they'll catch us." She was panting but she smiled her goofy smile and caught up with me. By now we were a good ways ahead so we stopped to sit under a tree. I took a look out position on a low hanging branch. Tohru collapsed at the base of the tree and looked up at me. "Why did you want to play tag Jaden? You hate running." I shrugged. "I'm just excited to be out of the sling finally. Hatori made me wear it for forever." In actuality it was for at least a week. But the boys made me wear it until today 'just to be on the safe side', so my poor arm was still stiff from its lack of activity.

I surveyed the forest around us, no sign of Kyo or Yuki. The trees were dense enough that the forest was comfortably dim, but not so thick as to make it hard to spot an incoming Sohma. I slid down from the branch and sat in front of Tohru. "Besides, we haven't played like this in a while." She smiled. "I always loved playing tag, and chase, and whatever weird game you came up with."

"My games were weird were they?" She giggled as I poked her in the forehead playfully. "Well, trying to catch as many blueberries in your mouth as possible while balancing an egg on your forehead is pretty weird Jaden." I conceded. "What can I say, Aunt Kyoko left us in the kitchen alone way to often. She was the best at that game though. Seven minutes and thirty-five blueberries, talk about high score."

We both floated away for a moment, thinking of our childhood. I loved the days I spent with Aunt Kyoko and Tohru. They were one of the few bright spots I always looked forward to. I never told Aunt Kyoko about Dad, but sometimes I was almost sure she knew. She never came to see my parents unless it was to pick me up to come over to her house. There were nights she would show up at the strangest of hours and take me home with her. It was always the nights Dad was the drunkest and pissed. Aunt Kyoko was always my idol.

When we moved I was completely lost. No one to look out for me, no bright spot to look forward to. I had always been kind of stubborn when it came to new people. Tohru was the friendly one, I was the one who never left her side. Making friends was not my strong suit. It's so nice to get to know people for real now. Kyo is so funny and caring, and Yuki is so sincere and loyal. Hatsuharu is a mess, but I like him all the same, something about him just draws me in, like a puzzle I need to solve.

*Sigh* "It's so nice here, so happy." I mumbled almost to myself. Tohru blinked and looked at me. "Did you say something Jaden?" I grinned at her. "Yep, we better get a move on. We have no clue how long those two will be fighting. Just think of the look on Kyo's face when we beat him home." She giggled at my competitive nature. "Is everything a contest with you Jaden?" Jumping to my feet I struck a heroic pose, internally begging for a breeze to make my hair flutter like you see in cheesy action movies. "But of course, life's a game, and I plan on winning from here on out!" She jumped up beside me and threw her fist in the air. "Right! I'll help too!" We high fived, laughing like a couple of ten year olds as we ran in the direction of Shigure's house.

Ten minutes after we got home Kyo and Yuki came through the door. I could almost detect the beginnings of small bruise on Kyo's jaw line. Yuki must have gotten him back for smacking him in the shoulder earlier. I snickered as he shuffled past me to the kitchen. "We won!" I cheered triumphantly as Yuki settled down at the table. "We can see that, and we are very proud of you." Yuki teased back sounding very sarcastic.

"Why thank you little Princeling. It means so much to hear you say that." He rolled his eyes and a hand mashed my hat back on my head roughly. I looked up through my now messed up hair at the one I like to call 'Kyo'. "You left this with me. I'd keep up with it if I were you, don't know when you'll run into another one of us." I grinned wide and cheekily. "Yes Onii-san." It was his turn to roll his eyes as he sat down.

Hatsuharu wasn't there for the first time in a week. I had spent five whole minutes searching the house for him while Tohru and I were waiting on the boys to get back. Obviously he finally realized he couldn't hang out here all the time, but why did it bother me so much. "Hey, have you guys seen Haru? It's weird not having him here." Kyo snorted. "I'm not complaining, there is only so much of that guy you can take." Yuki glared at him reproachfully. "Should you really be speaking of our kin that way?" "So I get to fuss at you next time you start gripping about Ayame?" He shot back. Yuki nodded almost as if to say touché.

There they go with that name again. I am really starting to worry about who the heck this guy was. If he got Yuki so frazzled then he must be an interesting character. Before I could open my mouth to ask who he was as I had been meaning to do for weeks now, we heard the door slide open. Shigure happened to by walking down the hallway at the time so he was the first to greet our visitors. We couldn't hear him all that well from where we were sitting but the sound of running feet quickly approaching our destination put us all on edge.

A blonde blur rocketed out of the hallway to land on my lap knocking me to the floor. The room was silent as we all attempted to process what just happened. "Hi! I'm Momiji, you have to be Tohru's friend. I mean, if you weren't I'd be a bunny right now and that woul- Oh you look so cute!" The blonde creature's mouth was moving a mile a minute and I was having a slight issue keeping up with it. The creature wrapped his arms around my neck and laughed before pulling back and tugging on my… ears.

You know, you would think I would be used to it by know, but no. No matter how many times it happens, I am still somewhat amazed at being able to acquire animal attributes from something as simple as a hug. Falling into a radioactive vat then sure, I'd handle it way better and would not be nearly as surprised each time, but a hug? I didn't even get the poof and the smoke like the Sohmas did. I must have gotten the short end of the cool curse transforming stick. I feel rooked.

I blinked at the creature, who I could now tell was a young girlish looking boy. He was cute, I'll admit it. But the boy was tugging on my ears, my long, bunny rabbit ears. They were blondeish with purple tips, much like my hair and looked like they fell to about my shoulders. I narrowed my eyes at him and was about to ask him to remove himself from my person when Haru yanked him up by the collar of his shirt. "Momiji, it isn't nice to play with pets like that, they don't like to be tugged and yanked on. You know this. Now leave my little angel alone and go bug Kyo." He dropped him not so ceremoniously on to the floor before sauntering over to me. I looked up from my place on the floor. "You're late today Haru, Tohru and I beat Kyo and Yuki in a race and you missed it. That means no snack for you." He pouted, which really was hilarious coming from him. "But I'm hungry." I shook my head. "To bad. Help me up." "Do I get a snack?"

"We'll see." He sighed, "That's a 'no'." But nonetheless he pulled me to an upright position before sitting down beside me. The Momiji kid was looking at me from across the table. I stared back. He leaned over to whisper something to Shigure who had now decided to join us. Remembering that when I hug Shigure I can hear better than I normally can I experiment with aiming my newest additions at the two who where colluding before me. Let's see here, up, swivel forward, to the left….

Haru, Yuki, Kyo and Tohru all jumped as I slammed my hands down on the table.

"Would you quit trying to make me the object of one of your favorite questionable stories! And don't corrupt the youth with your perverted ways you dog!" He grabbed Momiji and held him in front of him, using the poor hyper boy as shield. Momiji didn't seem all that disturbed by it though, which had me a little worried about him.

By now Yuki and Kyo didn't even bother asking what the dumb dog said anymore, they just reached over to smack him on the head leaving him with a dazed expression before he began complaining. Poor Shigure, his little flower garden was tainted with such violent weeds. He'll get over it soon enough. While Shigure was recovering Momiji hopped, literally hopped, over to me (It's like he's made of springs instead of bones) and sat in the vacant spot beside me. "I'm Momiji, it's nice to meet you." His smile was so childish I couldn't help but think of Tohru a little. The innocence rolled off him in waves. I chuckled and smiled back lightly. "I'm Jaden, Tohru's cousin. It is nice to meet you too Momiji." He looked at me for a moment and his almost serious expression frightened me. No one that young should be able to have that look in there eyes. I'd had it before and it wasn't something I liked to repeat. Closing my eyes on the contradictory boy before me to keep him from causing me to have another flashback in a room full of people I tried to make him smile. I looked out of the corner of my eyes and moved my ears in as many directions as possible. He giggled as I made them dance around on my head, they were surprisingly easy to manipulate and moved in so many directions.

I giggled a little at his reactions and soon he was latched on my back trying to catch my ears as I moved them. We hadn't realized everyone else had stopped talking and doing whatever it was they were doing to stare at us. Momiji stumbled and fell on top of me, his head landing on my shoulder as he scrambled to get a hold of my shoulders. In doing so he bumped one my many scars, this one was a little over a month old and was healed for the most part. But it still stung. I cringed but tried my best to chalk it up to a giggle. Haru was busy fussing at Momiji so I was almost certain he didn't see. Glancing out of the corner of my eye I saw I hadn't fooled Yuki.

Momiji laughed nervously and apologized. "Sorry Jaden, I didn't mean to fall on you." His face was so pure and untainted when he said that I had to control my urge to roll my eyes and groan. _Why do I always have to find nice people. Couldn't he have been cute and mean? Then I wouldn't feel bad about anything stupid I end up doing to him later._ I was positive I'd do something stupid, I always had managed to before. Even growing up Tohru and I were the best of friends, but sometimes I would say something stupid and make her cry or get that lost and lonely look I hate so much because it always makes me want to fall to my knees wailing about how unfair this was. As soon as she put on that pout I was doomed, I can't stand the pout, or the hurt puppy look.

And sadly Momiji pulled off the hurt and apologetic puppy look so much better than his bipolar cousin could. He was standing back from me know nervously fiddling with his fingers as Haru glared at him. _They are trying to kill me…_

I reached over and grabbed his hands and pulled him into a light half hug. "No worries Momiji, it was an accident and partially my fault." Kyo snickered at my attempt to sound kind and maternal, it came out shaky. _This is so much easier with Tohru, she's used to my brash nature, and I don't think I'll be able to keep this up for long. Stupid little kids and my stupid little conscience._

He lit up like a Christmas tree and embraced me full on, making me fall to the floor again. "Yea! Jaden's not mad at me! We are going to be the best of friends Jaden, I just know it. So I'm going to spend the night. We can stay up late, and talk, and sleep together!" His arms were wrapped around my waist and he was talking over my shoulder, leaving a ringing in my left ear. No male should be able to achieve such a high octave and still remain so cute. The Sohmas just get to break all kinds of rules don't they?

I sighed and was about to say 'sure' when the rest of the males in the room spoke as one voice. "No." Momiji pulled back to whine, doing that pouty thing again. I had to look away, too much more and I would explode. I really can only handle this level of adorable in small controlled doses. This was beginning to exceed my normal acceptable intake level.

"Awwww. Why not? She doesn't mind, do you Jaden? It'll be fun." Yuki stepped in. "It's not proper, and besides you only just met." Kyo looked at him bewildered. "That's your reason? How about they're the same age and that's just wrong." At this I blinked. _Momiji is the same age as me, he looks like a third grader though, and he acts like one too._

Haru took this as his turn to speak. "If I don't get to sleep with her, Momiji doesn't get to sleep with her." Silence fell over the room as we all stopped to look at Haru. He didn't seem to even register how awkward that should have been to say, let alone how awkward it was to hear. Shigure broke the silence. "Well that settles it. Momiji, we don't mind you staying over but you'll have to stay out of Jaden and Tohru's room." The blonde boy sighed but nodded in agreement.

"Okay, but can we stay up late?" Shigure shrugged. "I don't care, just don't break my house." With that our extremely responsible, and respectable authority figure sauntered out of the kitchen to his room of perverted intentions- I mean to his study singing of young love in a high falsetto. The rest of the Sohams and Tohru ignored his dramatic exit as it was nothing out of the ordinary but I couldn't help but wonder aloud. "Are we sure he's an adult?"

We were all spread out on the floor, cards strewn around us after our failed attempt to play a civil round of Rich-man Poor-man. We switched to Old Maid after Momiji beat Kyo for the fifth time in a row, but that started to get violent when Haru refused to give up cards to Kyo just to piss him off. Apparently even if I thought 'Grey' Haru was a decent guy and for the most part tolerable, Kyo didn't.

"We need something to do, I'm bored." I rolled over on my stomach and poked Yuki who was laying on his back staring at the ceiling with his best 'contemplating life' face on. He started and turned to look at me. I spoke slowly, enunciating every syllable.

"I'm bored Princeling. Give me something to do." He sat up and glanced at the room's other occupants. Tohru was helping Momiji build, well, attempt to build a card house. Haru and Kyo were having a staring contest, yet another attempt to prove who the better man was. At least it was better than when they tried to see who could fit a whole bowl of instant Ramen in their mouth at once. That was not a pretty sight.

"Well, why don't we go on a walk? Everyone else is busy with their own matters. Besides, the two of us haven't gotten to talk in a while." He smiled his most noble smile and I swear his whole personality felt like it was sparkling. "I'll agree on one condition." He nodded and I continued. "Quit with the charming attitude, I like you better when you're insulting me and Kyo and kicking our butts. It just feels more natural than you're creepy royalty act." Yuki chuckled but nodded and stood up, offering me a hand as he did so. _Guess I can't ask him to stop being so gentlemanly too…_

Shaking my head I took his hand and allowed him to lead me out the back door. No one noticed us leaving as we traipsed down the way into the woods. Yuki pulled me along beside him and threw and arm around my shoulders. That was one thing the boys were working on. In the weeks I've been with them, I've tried my hardest to make it clear that I don't mind looking a little weird if it means they can have someone to hug that isn't directly related to them. Shigure was all for it and would wrap his arms around me and make some sick joke or call me whatever pet name he's playing with for a book character of his whenever he got the chance, but he's stopped doing it whenever he thinks the boys are anywhere within hearing distance.

Haru handled it naturally like Shigure, but he didn't bother to wait until the boys were out of hearing distance. Yuki and Kyo were tougher cookies to crack. They aren't the type for those kinds of hugs and act stiff normally, neither being big expressers of public affection, curse or not they were very private with those kinds of actions. It was awkward for them at first, and still was. But they were getting there, and if the best they can handle right now are half hugs then that'll do for now. One of these days I'll get them to hug me for real just so they can feel a real one.

I'll admit to having somehow become a bit of a huggaholic. I blame it on being deprived and having a curse that is so hug specific. The forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest as they say.

Yuki rested his hand on my shoulder and led me through the forest. I reached up to grab hold of it. He didn't look at me so I just stared up at the sky. It was getting very dark out, the sky a navy blue with the stars just now showing themselves. We walked to a small opening in the forest. It was a quiet calm spot, which seemed to hum softly with serenity. Yuki squeezed my shoulder and let go to walk towards the center. I stood still and watched him as he turned towards me and gave a small mysterious smile. "Welcome to my secret base." So this was where he disappeared to.

I looked around, closer this time. What I had originally thought was open space could be seen as tilled earth and a well cared for garden. "Quite the green thumb you have here." I poked him in the shoulder as I walked up to inspect the rest of the plants. My knees hit the cool earth as I reached out to cradle the leaves in my hands, careful not to hurt them. "You take good care of your plants Yuki. I'm impressed." He knelt down next to me. "Thank you . I try very hard to take care of them. It's calming, I like to come out here just to think sometimes too. I've been doing that a lot lately actually."

"I've noticed, you've been spacing out worse than Tohru lately." He nodded and sat down. "Ms. Jaden, are you ever going to tell anyone, besides Haru and I?" My hand paused in lifting a stem of a still green strawberry. "I don't mean to pry, and I know you'd much rather forget. But, I think it would be best if you told everyone else. We all care about you, and I just think it would be easier if you weren't always trying to hide your past." I sat on my feet, dropping my hands into my lap as I stared at the young plants before me. "You think I should tell everyone? What difference would it make? All they would do is pity me." He reached a hand out to touch my arm. "You know that's a lie so stop it." He wasn't mean, but he wasn't nice either. I turned to look at him and saw his most serious expression.

"Haru doesn't pity you, and neither doI. We treat you like you want us to, we both care for you and we know better than to treat you like some fragile doll. You can handle your own Jaden, we know that. So will Kyo and Tohru and everyone else. But even if you can handle your own, you need help. And hiding away your problems, even if they are in the past, isn't going to make them go away." He dropped his hand from my arm and leaned back, his expression softening.

"I apologize for being frank but I've spent a great deal of time thinking about this." I looked at him, my eyebrow cocked. "So this is what you've been spacing out about?" He nodded. Sighing I laid down to look at the sky again. "You're probably right Yuki. I know I need to tell them, I've always wanted to in a way. I just would rather not risk what I have going for me. I'll tell them, just not now." Yuki groaned as he pulled himself to his feet. "I understand Ms. Jaden, but please don't put it off for much longer. I really think you'll be better off in the long run if you would share this with more that just Haru and me." I brushed the dirt of my pants as I stood up. Yuki was starting back towards the house but had paused to wait for me. I grabbed Yuki's hand in mine and tugged on it so he would look at me.

"Thanks for caring Yuki, I wish you had always been my brother. You, Kyo, Haru, even Shigure. You're all are so nice to me. I wish I really was related to you guys." I stared at my shoes as I began to walk forwards only to be stopped when I felt him pull me backwards. He smiled at me. "I'm glad we're here now. But I wouldn't let Haru hear you say that if I were you." I blinked, feeling very confused. He just chuckled and started to walk back to the house. "We'd better get back; they've probably noticed we've left by now." I knit my brows together, frustrated with his ability to make me so confused with such a simple sentence. _What does that mean? Don't tell Haru? Dumb Rat…_

Fuming I stormed past him. He chuckled and caught up with me, tugging gently on my rat ears. _Stupid Rat…_

When we got back Haru and Kyo were still at it, the two of them straining as hard as they could to keep their eyes open. Momiji had taken it upon himself to judge and was staring with his face not an inch away from the two of them. Tohru was cleaning up the cards and smiling as she watched.

"It surprises me how your level of idiocy never ceases to amuse me." I grinned wide as I looked on. Our sudden appearance didn't even phase them. "Shut up Jaden, I got this. Don't distract me." Kyo growled, his eyes never wavering. Haru chuckled, "Give up Kyo, you can't win." I sighed, this was going to go on all night and then end badly when it did stop. I motioned to Yuki and he got the message. Momiji looked up at our approach but I held a finger to my lips so he wouldn't say anything. The bunny giggled and waited. Yuki stood behind Kyo while I stood behind Haru. They were so focused they didn't notice anything. Nodding at Yuki I held up three fingers, slowly putting each one down.

3….2….1 ***Thwack* **Yuki and I slammed the two idiots heads together. They had been leaning so close together the distance between their heads was only an inch or two. But that was just enough to leave them both on the floor clutching their foreheads groaning. Shigure happened to walk downstairs at that exact moment only to see the two of them collapsed, nursing their wounds. He didn't even bother to ask questions, he just sank to the floor howling.

"That was mean Princess," Haru whined. "I would have won too." I pet the top of his spiky white head. "Sure you would have. And Kyo would have kissed Yuki." Kyo hissed from his place on the floor. "Don't say stupid stuff like that, it's just sick!" Momiji laughed loudly. "That was funny Jaden! I've never seen someone do something like that to Haru before and him not mind, it was awesome." Haru grumbled. "Who said I didn't mind?" But his comment was ignored. I watched the hyper boy, still puzzling how he could be the same age as me. They way he acted made me still want to treat him like a child. "Momiji, does your mother know you're here? Shigure said you could stay but I don't remember you every asking your folks." He stopped twirling to look at me. The kindness was still in his voice but it was subdued. "No, she doesn't know I'm here. Momma doesn't really even know I exist. At least, that I'm her son. So she won't mind. Dad knows I came to visit Shigure though."

I stopped all action, and just looked at the boy before me. He was so happy, so joyful and over all innocent, yet he just said something so horrible. I wanted to think I heard him wrong, but Haru's words came back to me. _"Not one Sohma kid with the curse ever has a good child hood,…"_ I figured things would be rough, but to think his own mother doesn't know he exists. "Momiji…" My eyes watered at the sight of the boy who was so happy despite all he's had to live with. It made me feel weak. His eyes widened as I began to cry softly, despite my better judgment. "Oh no Jaden, don't cry! It's not a big deal. She's happier this way, she was so sick before she chose to forget about me. I still get to see her, and I get to watch my little sister grow up into such a cutie too. It's not so bad." He reached out to touch me but I just crumpled to the floor. _Watch his little sister…_I was so pathetic compared to this sweet, sweet boy.

Momiji pulled me into a hesitant hug as he stared down confused at my reaction. I grabbed him and pulled him into my lap on the floor, resting my head on his shoulder. "I wish I was like you, and that I could forgive and forget." He stiffened and the room became quiet, not that I noticed. "My mom didn't forget about me, she just didn't care enough about anything. Dad hurt me every day, and she just watched, either too drunk or too stoned to do anything. It took me years to get her to let me come here, to get her to tell the cops, to get her to do anything. He wasn't much nicer to her, but she just didn't care. And I hate her for that. I hate him too, I hate them so much, I spent so long trying to care, trying to love them, and I just can't anymore. I wish I was like you Momiji, I wish I could forgive them."

He stroked my back as I cried softly into his shoulder, my bangs hiding my red eyes. "I wish I could just forget." I mumbled softly. I slowly released my grip on Momiji his hands fluttering on my shoulders as I slumped. Haru moved behind me, pulling me into his arms where I curled against his strong warm chest. I had tried so hard to keep this to myself. I had even told Yuki no when he asked me to tell everyone else. And all it took was a bunny who smiled despite everything that happened to make me spill my guts.

"I'm so pathetic. I can't believe this, I said I wasn't going to cry over this." I mumbled into Haru's shirt. I bit my lip, hoping I could stop the water works, but with Haru holding me so carefully I just couldn't. I felt slender hands rest on my shoulders. I peeked out of the confines of Haru's grasp to see Tohru looking at me, tears spilling from her eyes, flowing like fountains. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was quite, not at all angry or distrusting like this scene had always played out in my head. "I..I knew you'd cry." I wiped my eyes and pulled back, Haru reluctantly loosening his arms so I could look at her. "I hate seeing you cry Tohru. And… I thought you would be angry with me, or that you'd think I was weak, or that.. that…" Now it occurred to me, I never really had a good reason not to tell her. Even if Tohru could barely take care of herself sometimes, she had people who would have protected her. Who would have protected me. "I'm sorry Tohru, I thought you'd get hurt, I…. I'm and Idiot." She wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me close. "Yes, you are." I coughed, not quite being able to commit to a laugh.

And so I sat in a Haru, Tohru sandwich, my eyes closed waiting for the others to reprimand me. Tohru may be all forgiving, but I doubt they would. My eyelids scrunched shut when I heard footsteps walking our direction. They stopped behind Haru's back and I heard them kneel down. "You, you stupid, stupid girl. Were you ever planning on telling us?" Kyo questioned. I shook my head and risked looking at his reaction. "Not if I could help it." "Did you tell anyone at all?" I wavered, knowing he wouldn't like knowing he was left out of the loop. "Yuki and Haru found out, but I swore them to secrecy. They found out on accident though, so it wasn't like I told them instead of telling you. If I had meant to tell anyone I would have told you I swear Kyo, but I didn't want to tell anyone and then they saw my s-" A stopped when he set a hand on my head, and then began to pet me around the cow ears, stroking my now grey hair. "Silly, stupid, little girl." He sounded exhausted but he smiled. He had forgiven me, maybe not completely and I would probably always be handled carefully from now on if I didn't set him straight, but he wasn't mad at me for being stubborn, idiotic Jaden.

The only ones left who hadn't spoken and hadn't known before hand were Momiji and Shigure. Momiji smiled from his spot, a small sad smile that said 'I'm sorry'. He had nothing to forgive me for and he didn't seem the type to treat me differently. I looked up at Shigure, the arms around me slowly retreating, all except Haru's. He just pulled me to sit with my back against his chest so I could look at Shigure. Despite his idiotic antics, he still was the adult of the house, and it was times like this where he managed to pull himself out of his inanity and fully appear responsible.

We all waited to hear what he would say. He crossed his arms and looked at me, the same face he used when I came home after fighting with those Yuki fan-girls masking his normally jovial features. "Well, I can't say I didn't expect something like this. And I can't say I hadn't wished to hear from you sooner. But I don't fault you for delaying anything. But now we have to be serious and have the whole story out. No more secrets Jaden. We want to help you, but you have to tell us what's wrong first." I nodded playing with Haru's fingers idly as I sat. "Why don't you come talk in my office away from everyone else so we can get things sorted out properly?" I tightened my grip on Haru's hands without thinking. _I don't want to go alone, not anymore_ I think Haru read my mind.

"No can do Mr. Mutt. I'm not leaving her alone right now." He bumped the side of my head with is cheek and whispered in my ear. "Right Angel?" I nodded and looked at Shigure, my eyes beginning to dry from having cried before hand. "Haru gets to come?" Shigure sighed, and gave me that smile like he knows something I don't. But I wasn't in the mood to play that game right now. "Of course little flower. The cow can come. Let's get thing straightened out, alright?" I pushed myself to my feet and then helped Haru up, never once letting go of his hand. I had given up on trying to do things on my own. Haru had become my security blanket, whether he liked it or not. I wasn't all that found of being so co-dependent, but I wasn't nearly as in control of my own person as I would have like to be.

We followed Shigure down the hallway, glancing back at the worried faces of my friends and family, of our family. Haru squeezed my fingers encouragingly. Pulling myself up so he could whisper into my ear. "I'm proud of you Princess, if you hadn't said anything I can't say I could have kept our little secret much longer. " "You and Yuki both." I growled lowly. Now that I was out of the room filled with emotions I was beginning to return to feeling a little snappish with the whole spilling the secret situation. Haru chuckled, this wasn't news to him, so he was trying his best to act naturally as we stepped into Shigure's domain. "Don't be like that Cutie, you know we care. A lot." He kissed my temple hesitating for a moment, before pulling me to the chair in front of Shigure's desk. He sat down and pulled me onto his knees. I was used to being tossed and tugged and pulled around by Haru by know so I let him. Anyone else I would have smack once, but Haru was hard headed like me so I left him alone. Shigure rested his elbows on the desk and looked at us solemnly before sighing a smiling. "Why don't we start from the beginning, shall we?"

**(A/N): The chapter ends! Finally… I'm sorry it took so long again, but I wanted it to be good. If Jaden was going to tell everyone in this chapter I wanted it to be done well. If you feel I failed please tell me and I'll try to make up for it next time. It may take me awhile to update again because I have been requested to work on my long neglected Leverage story. Normally that wouldn't hamper my work on my other stories, but she knows me personally and has a very heavy saxophone she's threatening to beat me with if I don't satisfy her need for fluff ocXox pairings and cheesy dramatic suspenseful moments coupled with my corny sense of humor. I hope you all enjoyed it and I hope to hear from you. I love you all!**

**Lot's of Love from Me to You,**

**-Rat**


	10. Chapter 10

**(A/N): Okay, does I'm sorry even begin to cover it? School takes a lot from me, and I didn't want to give you all sub par work. So it was either quality or speed. You be the judge on whether I held my end of the bargain. Hope you all enjoy it and I would love to hear from you.**

**Disclaimer: I own nada but Jaden, my poor little Oc. I'm always so mean to them.**

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10

"_Why don't we start from the beginning, shall we?"_

Playing with Haru's fingers I sighed and began my story, hoping I could condense it down to a simple tale. Black and white. No fluff, no unnecessary details. The odds of this actually happening, less than good. A girl can hope though, right?

"You heard the majority of it back there I think. But I'll run you through the whole story if it will help." I sighed and closed my eyes, for once allowing the pictures and memories to come of my own free will. I clung to Haru's hand, which I was pretty much holding captive. He squeezed back and I swallowed hard before beginning. "I was born Jaden Eaves, and up until the time I turned three I lived a fairly normal life. I played with my cousin, had birthday parties, and made friends. I thought it was normal at least. My Father never said he loved me, and Momma rarely smiled. But I spent most of my time at Aunt Kyoko's because my parents had to work all of the time, so I just thought that was what my life was supposed to be like. I told them I loved them every day anyways, just because that was what Tohru did for Kyoko."

I opened my eyes to look at Shigure, he was leaning back in his chair watching me. "I understand if it's hard for your Jaden, but I think I really need to know so I can help you." Nodding I closed my eyes again, sinking back into the story of my life. "I was three and a half to the day when my mother lost her job. I didn't figure out until I got older that neither of my parents was making a ton of money. I did figure out though that we would have been fine, even if mom hadn't had her job.

But my father was a greedy man. He didn't like the idea of not having spare change, and apparently unbeknownst to me, he had always had a poor outlook on life and very little respect for women in general. The fact that he married my mother at all is an anomaly, but he married her all the same. He hadn't always treated her nicely up until then, but when she got home and told him she had been fired, he hit her for the first time I could remember."

Haru rubbed his thumb against the back of my hand as I squinted, filtering out things that were better left unsaid that he did to her. "I didn't know what to do, so I just sat on the couch and watched. Mom didn't fight back, didn't yell, she just took everything he threw at her. The he turned to me. He told me to get up and that he was going to teach me a lesson so I didn't make the same mistakes my mother did. That was the first night he hit me too.

I went to my mother that night, hoping for her to say something, that it would be alright or that he didn't mean it. She just looked at me and said, 'do what your father says, he's in charge.'" I growled as I continued, and I felt Haru begin to rub my back in attempt to calm me down. It didn't work all that well unfortunately. "So I did, he said not to tell a soul, or he'd make sure I never forgot it. That I didn't need friends, that all I needed was to follow orders. I was so scared that night. But luckily enough for me I had Kyoko as my aunt. She would keep me with her every day while my parents were at work, and she said something that next morning to him that kept me going to her house instead of being forced to stay home with my mother. My codependent hopeless mother." As I watched these memories flit across the back of my eyelids I smiled ruefully. _Kyoko and Tohru, my guardian angels…_

"Aunt Kyoko and Tohru were what kept me sane. Kyoko was a fighter, and all that week I began comparing my life to Tohru's, my mother to hers. I was jealous, but I decided getting mad wouldn't do any good. So I decided I wanted to be like Kyoko, a fighter, a rebel, someone who could take care of herself. I'd like to think over the years I became that person. Admittedly, my desire to become self-sufficient, to never have to depend on people again ruined several friendships I might have been able to forge. But I had Tohru, and that was good enough for me. There was no one scarier than me, no one braver at school. I was that girl that no one knows whether or not to love or hate, and regardless you keep your distance because you she's not all right. At home was another story though…

Sure I could take care of myself, my father had become an alcoholic and my mother wasn't far behind, so I learned to feed myself and to ration what food I scrounged from school. I even learned basic first aid to clean my self and stitch myself up as best as I could without alerting suspicion. But I couldn't stand up to my father. Whenever he showed his face I became subdued, I couldn't fight even if I tried." My fists clenched in my lap. This was the part of my life, the part of me I hated the most. The fact that the only person I couldn't defend myself from, the only one I was scared of and that actually hurt me regularly, the man who was to blame for everything I had been though was the only person I was a complete wimp in front of. I couldn't do anything but take what ever he threw at me. Just like my _mother._

"So 'that' continued until I turned seven, then my father received a 'job offer' in America. Honestly I think he was just sick of my Aunt. It feels like Kyoko was catching on to what he was doing, not that she could prove anything. When we lived near her she would show up at the most random of times to pick me up, or to visit her 'darling family' as she would put it. I loved Aunt Kyoko, she was the only real safe place I had for the longest time. But when we moved I was alone again, no one to turn to at all.

I started becoming quieter that I had been during class, getting my work done as fast as possible so I could sleep or just relax. The other kids thought I was a freak and tried to do something about me once. I think I was nine when the first group of kids tried to attack me. I broke one kids hand and bloodied up three others, but they still out numbered me and a teacher who was getting ready to go home saw and had to pull them off me physically. I got in trouble with the school but it all appeared as if I was attacked and because I was one of their more gifted students they let me go with a mild punishment. What I got at home was far from mild though…"

Haru stiffened beneath me and I heard Shigure inhale quickly. I paused in my story as I opened my eyed to look at the dog; he was clenching his pencil so hard his knuckles were white. "I am to assume he hurt you badly that night?" I nodded. "Yes, that was probably the worst night, the scars are rather impressive if I do say so myself." I grinned halfheartedly in my attempt to be cheeky. My attempt was lost as his brow furrowed while he thought. Bucking up, I decided if Shigure thought knowing all that was possible would help, I might as well do this the right way. "Would it help if you saw?" He blinked in a stupor as he was brought out of his thoughts. "I'm sorry what?"

"Would it help if you were to see what he did to me?" His mouth fell open like a fish and Haru scooted forward to whisper in my ear. "Princess you don't have to do that." I swatted his knee lightly and looked at Shigure closely. He was conflicted. I could see how he didn't want to make me divulge anything that might make me have a panic attack or have another one of my fits, but the morbid curiosity he was trying hard to mask was plainly seen.

"It might help explain better than I could do with just words. It'll be easier too." Before they could protest about not making me do something I didn't want to, and before I lost the guts to do what I was doing, I slid off of Haru's lap and went to stand next to Shigure behind his desk. I turned away from him and pulled my shirt up and off of my arms until it was hanging loosely around my neck, giving him a clear view of my back and exposed arms. He hissed and I heard Haru growl. Haru had seen before, but back then he wasn't examining to the extent he was now.

Shigure's hands ghosted over my back and the spider web of scars that coated it. I felt his hands rest on one of the larger ones, right on my left shoulder blade. "That was the night after I got into my first fight, he smashed a lamp that was plugged in across my back. The bulb broke, cut me, and set my shirt on fire." His finger tips trailed down, and I named each injury as he came to them.

"Bottle, stove top, cigarettes, his nails, his ring, stupid ornate frame from a stupid worthless mirror, the railing on the stairs." There were more but Shigure had had enough from my back. He lightly tapped one of my arms and I let him inspect it. "More cigarettes , those were actually from a box cutter he found, he went a little crazy with that." I gestured lightly toward the vertical and horizontal lines that covered the tops of my arms and shoulders. "Enough."

Haru stood up from where he had been sitting, watching as I showed Shigure my memories. He walked over and tugged me forward, taking my shirt and placing it on me correctly again, covering my scars as he let it drop into place. When he had me clothed again he pulled me into his arms, burying my face into his chest. "Enough." He choked out. "No more, he gets it." His voice was trembling as he spoke.

I smiled ruefully into his chest. Haru the fighter turned into a quivering child over something as little as me. I felt his voice as he rumbled out to Shigure, "That's it. You've heard, you've seen. If you can't fill in the holes yourself they should fire you as a writer. We're through here." I wasn't about to complain. I had tried so long to keep from telling that story, to have it all spill out was exhausting. I was ready for a nap, and Haru was not helping that at all with his arms wrapped around me making me feel warm and snug.

Shigure didn't move to stop us as we left. Haru reached to close the door behind him, but Shigure's voice drifted over to the door way making him pause. "I hate it for you Jaden. I really do. You're safe here, you know that?" I pulled away from Haru just enough to peek around his waist and meet Shigure's careful gaze.

I rolled my eyes internally at his stupid comment. "Duh." I stuck my tongue out at him and smiled softly before retreating back to Haru's warm chest. Shigure chuckled lightly as we shut the door behind us. Haru began to lead, pulling me back into the living room. Everyone was sitting there still. They seemed to just be talking quietly. Cards were laid out as if they had attempted to play go-fish, but they looked as if they had been untouched for sometime.

Momiji rolled over onto his back, his expression pensive until he spotted us returning. "Jaden! Haru!" He sat up with a jolt and all other conversation halted as they turned to look at us. I blinked at their worried yet still cautious stares. _I need to head this off now…_

"Jaden, how did it go with-" I cut off Tohru's question. "Stop." She slumped slightly and stared up at me inquisitively. "Look, I know you guys are going to want to say something or ask questions, but I really would prefer not to answer them. I know that's me being selfish but that's how it's going to be." I played with the hem of my shirt, my fingers stretching the fabric and my nails threatening to prick holes along the edges. Kyo spoke, "Alright." I grabbed my wrist not quite processing his words.

"It's stupid and honestly I don't even understand why I really would rather not have to tell the same story more than it deserves to be told,"

"Aright."

"But I just really don't like thinking about it. That's why I came her after all anyways. To forget and get away."

"Jaden."

"And with a memory like mine it's physically impossible to forget all of it and I can't force myself to either." I was opening my mouth, to continue rambling when I felt two hands settle on my shoulders firmly. Looking up from the floor I saw two burgundy eyes staring into mine. "Jaden." I let out a breath. "Yes Kyo?" "Shut up."

Tohru giggle lightly from her spot on the floor, and I had to smile ruefully. I had said the same thing to Tohru the first day I had spent in Japan after coming back. Kyo grinned half heartedly. "We get it Jaden. We won't ask, and you don't have to tell." He ruffled my hair before extracting me from Haru's grasp to be pulled into his own. Haru made a grunt of annoyance but didn't push the matter as Kyo tugged me into his chest.

He smelled like trees and milk, and his black shirt had never felt to soft. Let my forehead fall to his shoulder and inhaled his musky boy smell. "You smell good Kyo." He laughed as I brought my arms up around his neck, flopping against him completely. If it weren't for Kyo's sturdy frame I would have fallen to the floor. "You need sleep." I shook my head. "Nuh-uh. Just a *yawn* nap." I heard Haru chuckle from behind me. "Go to bed Princess, we'll be here when you wake up."

His promise made my newly acquired cat ears perk up, and in my sleep muddled mind I thought it fit to ask him to verify his statement. "Promise?" I could feel his smirk as he leaned into to whisper, "Of course Angel, would you like it if I kept watch over you tonight?" I giggled sleepily at his typical flirtatious nature and Kyo hissed. "Back off Haru!" His grip tightened on me and I clenched my teeth, quietly trying to ignore the pain I felt. "Kyo, she's hurting." Yuki interjected from the floor. I opened my eye's just enough to see his worried expression. Kyo let up and pulled me back to look in my eyes. I frowned at being removed from his warm chest, but was brought out of my pout by his guilty look. _He's being so cautious, I wonder how long it will take before we can wrestle like we used to?_ Before he could ask what was wrong the sound of Shigure rounding the corner caught us all off guard.

"Jaden? There you are." I cocked my head in his direction, my cat ears flattening backwards as I lifted an eyebrow. That nap was sounding better and better. "Yes?" I drawled out as I let my head loll. "I called Hatori, he said he'll come by tomorrow to give you a full check up. I'm a little worried about the extensiveness of some of your injuires." At his words Kyo all but let go of me completely. _Way to go Shigure, no need to beat around the bush…_"Alright." I sighed and let me head fall down, my eyes falling to my feet. He nodded and left, wishing us a good night. _He's only out of our hair when it would be nice to have him to break up the moodiness._ _Lucky us._

"What does he mean by that?" Kyo asked lowly. I looked up at him through my eyelashes, blowing upward to move the bangs from my eyes. Tohru cut in, Momiji moving to lean against her as they watched the scenes unfold. "You said you wouldn't ask Kyo." He flicked his eyes to her, and I could see the frustration building. "Yeah, well, that wsa before I thought I was gonna hurt her!" He snapped around to look at me and his eyes were conflicted. Ask and break him promise, or don't and risk 'hurting' me? I moved my hand to pet his shoulder. "It's okay." He growled in submission. "Is it?" I smirked softly before turning away from him, only to run into Haru again. "Your room is the other way Cutie." I nodded. "Right."

I made to move again only to have Kyo grab my hand. _What is this, ping-pong?_

"Jaden, I'm serious. I don't know if I can let this blow over. I'm an idiot and I'm bound to do something stupid and hurt you. That stupid rat and your pet cow would never let me hear the end of it if it was my fault you got hurt."

I shook my head, "It wouldn't be your fault Kyo." Haru and Yuki synchronized. **"Yes it would." **Kyo clenched his fists and I sighed. "Fine. Wouldn't want you getting in trouble." He relaxed for a minute but tensed again as soon as I reached to pull up my shirt. "What the heck Jaden?" I scowled over my shoulder as I turned away from him. "You wanted to know right?" That shut him up, at least long enough for me to lift my shirt up to my shoulders. When he saw my back in its entirety he began swearing like a sailor. Tohru gasped and Momiji squeaked. Yuki remained composed, but I felt more than heard him let out a breath as he scrutinized my scars. I turned my head to Haru, and saw him turning away, not wanting too look at them apparently.

My eyes kept fluttering shut and I stayed that way until I felt Kyo's hands nervously tugging my shirt back down. His hands pulled the dark fabric down so it flowed against my waist, before he carefully wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "Never again." I squinted, sleep was begging me to come and it was also making it hard for me to understand simple things like I would if I was awake. "Never again, I promise it will never happen again."

I sighed, feeling completely comfortable, even if I was finally beginning to lose coherence. I wasn't completely sure what all Kyo was referring to. Never showing my scars, never having to explain, never being hurt? I couldn't come up with what he actually meant, and I didn't care. He was warm.

Haru stepped over to us, "Alright kitty boy, she needs sleep." Kyo didn't move. "You think I'm going to leave you and her alone together in a bedroom. I don't care if you don't go full black around her no matter what she does, you go black enough." Haru growled and was about to say something when Yuki stood up. "If neither of you will stop bickering I 'll take her." They shut up and looked at each other, before glancing at me. Haru scoffed before submitting. "Fine." Kyo just sighed and handed me over. I didn't care who was taking me so long as I got a bed.

Yuki led me to my room, a chorus of goodnights hurled at my back as we left. He opened my door and led me gently by the arm till I was sitting on the bed. He knelt down to take off my socks and then lifted my legs on to the mattress. I let him guide me through the motions until I was snug under the covers. He brushed my long hair out from under me and I sighed happily. The cat ears I gained from snuggling with Kyo had yet to leave, so the twitched appreciatively at the warmth. Yuki sat on the edge of the bed, and I was still half awake enough to hear what he had to say. "Jaden, I'm glad to shared, even if you didn't plan on it. Things will get better now, even if you don't think so." I shifted onto my side, facing the door so he didn't think I was ignoring him.

"Kyo said you didn't have to tell, and I can't promise we won't ask thought we will try to leave you alone. Just, just don't think that you can't talk to us. We'll listen Jaden. We know what its like."

I snuggled into my blankets, pulling them up so they almost covered my head completely. Yuki sighed softly before standing up and then bending down to kiss my forehead. "Sleep well Jaden." I was out before he closed the door.

**0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o**

**(A/N): Okay, this is so late I deserve any complaints I receive. But this was hard to write in the sense that I didn't want anyone OOC. I think I got it, but if anyone can point out what I did wrong please tell me. Again, I can't say how sorry I am this tool so long, school is tiresome and sucks out my energy, then you have weird teen issues like thinking I might like somebody. I'm not good with understanding emotions.**

**Okay, sorry, I don't mean to vent.**

**Anyways, I love you all and I thank every last one of you that reads my story and or reviews, you make my day so much brighter. **

**Lots of Love From Me to You,**

**-Rat**


	11. Chapter 11

**(A/N): I'm bAcK…. Sorry, had to. Alright, I'm gonna give up on apologizing. I'm late. You know it, I know it, all of my plushies know it. But to everyone that puts up with me. I LOVE YOU GUYS! I hope I didn't disappoint you this chapter, I'm still trying to find all of my spelling errors and other grammar issues, but I make no promises. **

**Anyways, I almost forgot to thank Koneko(I hope I spelled it right) I always love you're reviews. Thanks so much for caring so much. You are just too nice. Because you are awesome I'm adding a little fluffish HaruXOc moment early in this chapter. Feel special, because you are.**

**Oh, and furuba-suzume: I'm glad you like it! I was going for different, and this had been buzzing as a plot bunny. You're very perceptive, but I'm afraid I can neither confirm nor deny you inquiries. Although I will say that I am more comfortable writing this as more based off of the anime than the manga, so Akito will indeed most likely be male. **

**As always suggestions are like candy which I hoard like nobody's business, so please send it this way! I can't wait to here what you all think.**

**Disclaimer : I own nothing but my poor little Jaden. *Sigh***

**ONWARDS!**

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11

When I woke up the next morning it was late. The sun was streaming through my window coating my floor with its warmth and making everything golden. I blinked at the harshness of the color as I tried to get my bearings. What happened again? Oh that's right, I just spilled my life story to everyone I wanted to keep it from. "Crap."

I sat up quickly, my sore muscles protesting ever so slightly as they always have as I tried to detangle myself from my bed sheets. Once my feet were on the floor I hissed in disapproval. _The sun has been shining on the floor for hours and it still has to be freezing when I get up? This is so not right…_ Growling to myself I made my way across my room to get clean clothes, and head to the shower. As I was walking down the hallway I began to wonder were everyone could have run off to. "Well, I guess they wanted to let me sleep in after yesterday, but Kyo and Tohru aren't the type to spend the day sleeping away." I muttered to myself. "Yuki might still be asleep." I mused as I neared his door. It was open so I cautiously peeked in. Sprawled out across his bed in not a very princely fashion with his face squashed against one of his books and only half of his shirt still on his torso, the rest tangled around his shoulders was the poor princeling. "If only your fan girls could see you now." I chuckled to myself and continued forward.

"That's Yuki, now what about the others?" I lifted my head as I smell wafted from below. _Found Tohru…_The giggles that accompanied the smells of what I could only guess to be lunch verified Momiji's whereabouts. Just as I was about to inquire to my self about Kyo and Shigure's location I heard the familiar crash of Shigure's door yet again, and the howling of outrage from Kyo about some 'stupid mutt'. "That's five of them." I neared the bathroom door, "I wonder where number six is?" I reached for the door as my head spun from trying to figure out where he could be. My hand landed on the cool, firm, and slightly…damp door?

"Well isn't this a surprise?" The door then wrapped its hand around my wrist and pulled me forward into a hug. The steamy bathroom making his skin feel warm all over as I out of instinct returned his gesture. I looked up into his surprisingly warm gray eyes. "Good morning Angel. Did you sleep well?" I nodded, my face feeling warm for some odd reason as I tried to keep my eyes from moving to look at his chest again. "Too well, why didn't any of you wake me up?" He chuckled and I could feel it radiate through out his entire chest. "We weren't going to wake you up before Yuki got up." I scowled as I lightly began to let go of him. "So I was supposed to sleep until next week?" He grinned and pulled me back. "That was the plan."

I slapped his back. "That wasn't necessary." He bent down to whisper in my ear. "It was, you know you needed to sleep. I know you don't get nearly enough." I let my head droop until it was resting against his chest. He shivered slightly as I exhaled in frustration. "Fine. I need a shower, so move." He scoffed. "I don't think I want to Princess. Why don't I help you out, make sure you're okay?" Before I could even growl at his teasing a dark aura that radiated evil intentions could be felt behind us. We both shivered as we turned to see a sleepy and apparently irritated Yuki standing in his doorway watching us. "Haru, please be so kind as to remove your hands from Ms. Jaden immediately."

Haru looked up and wrapped his arms around my waist. "What if I don't want to?" Just at that moment pounding on the stairs could be heard followed by Kyo's grumblings. "Hey, ya dumb rat! Get your lazy butt out of bed! I don't want to have to hear Tohru whine about you not eatin-" He was silenced as he took in the current scene.

Yuki: Disheveled and glaring from the door way

Me: Pinkish, sleepy eyed still, and attached to Haru

Haru: Shirtless, damp, smirking, and attached to me in a rather possessive manner while standing in the door way to the shower.

He stood, his mouth hanging open from where he had been planning on finishing his sentence. We all turned to look at him. Yuki glanced between the two whose eyes were now locked in a challenge. He shrugged and shuffled past Kyo's stiff form down the stairs. Patting his shoulder as if to say 'Your turn, you get to handle this one'.

Despite being in his purely human form I watched his eyes narrow and his ears lay back as he growled, lunging forwards. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF-" His forehead made contact with the palm of Haru's hand as he lazily reached up to fend him off. It was easy to tell that this did little to quell Kyo's anger, as he reached up to twist Haru's arm. Deciding it was best for me to not be in the middle of this as the electricity between them was practically visible by now I ducked under Haru's arm which had now been bent rather awkwardly above his shoulder and dashed into the bathroom.

The door slammed behind me loudly, and the sound of their voices was muffled by the solid wood. I slid down the door to land on the floor, my knees pulled up to my chest. I replayed the entire situation in my head and couldn't help giggling. "Idiots." What did I do to deserve such doting, adorable, rash, and protective idiots? Shaking my head I got ready for my shower. The hot water working its way over my rough skin, trickling unevenly down my arms and soaking my hair. I fingered my long locks thoughtfully, the color at the ends turning a royal purple with the water. When was the last time I got my hair cut? I had never really planned for it to be this long, but I also hadn't had much time for trivial things like hair cuts up until now. _I'll get it cut soon then, something different. _

I rinsed my hair of soap and stepped put of the shower, wrapping myself in one of the fluffy strawberry towels Tohru had let me use. Wiping the fog off of the mirror I was met with my eyes, my ears, and my very own face. For some reason it felt wrong almost to see myself with out some part of the Sohma family present. I reached up to pat wet head were I would normally find soft fur. My fingers drifted down my face, remembering the feel of scales from when I had hugged Hatori. I sighed briefly before gasping. "Crap." My towel fell as I fumbled for my clothes. I had just remembered that Hatori was supposed to be coming today. "There is no way he isn't here by now." I grabbed my towel from its spot on the floor and glanced once again at the mirror. The scars spider webbing across my skin contracted with my muscles, stretching tightly as I pawed around for my clothes.

I sighed. "Stupid Dragon is probably gonna have more of that stupid stinging crap. That stuff hurt like heck last time." After I had my pants and what not firmly attached to my person I began pulling my shirt over my head, heading for the door. The long sleeves seemed to pose some trouble as I my elbow managed to get wedged into one, leaving me tied up as the door swung open. "Crap!" I began plummeting to the ground as my sense of balance was thrown off quite a bit due to my current predicament. Right before my face felt hard floor I was snatched backwards into a pair of strong arms.

"Now, I knew grace wasn't one of your strong suits, but I didn't think that you were this much of a klutz Angel." I scowled over the bunched fabric at Haru, my mood dampened by the heat I felt in my face. "Shut up. I got stuck. What are you doing out here anyways? Waiting for me to get done?" He nodded. "Yes, someone has to catch you before you eat floor. I just have to pleasure of being the only one stubborn enough to wait for an hour for you to finish. Why is it girls have to take so long in the shower?"

I smacked him with my free arm. "I was not in there for an hour. As to the why, it's just one of life's mysteries that are there just to mess with the heads of males such as yourself. Now why don't you continue your random streak of usefulness and help me with this stupid shirt." Chuckling he made sure I was set firmly on my feet before grabbing the fabric from my hands. "What has you in such a bad mood Princess?" Sighing I explained dejectedly. "Shigure said he called Hatori to come make sure everything is healing fine." Haru raised an eyebrow as he let go, my shirt falling lightly into place around my hips now that my arm was free. "And….?"

"…I hate antiseptic, and I'm not particularly fond of doctors. Don't get me wrong, I like Hatori fine, but still…." I mumbled half heartedly, pouting as I turned away from him and began my descent downstairs. "Aww, that's cute." Haru snickered behind me. I couldn't help making a rather rude gesture at him behind my back as I continued my trek.

He scoffed and I couldn't help grinning a little. "Oh, that's not happening Princess." Before I could protest, or was even aware of what was happening I was picked up and flung over his shoulder unceremoniously. "Hatsuharu Sohma put me down!" He clucked his tongue in defiance. I pounded my fists against his back in an attempt to get him to release me from his clutches as he carried me down stairs. "Do you want me to trip and fall down the stairs?" Oh he was enjoying this. I huffed and elbowed him the head for good measure. "Don't tempt me."

He chuckled at my stubbornness to concede to having lost this fight due to his much larger build as we were reaching the landing. "Shut up Haru, I'll tell Kyo it was your fault I'm making nothing but leeks for dinner from now on." He paused and I felt his shoulders stiffen. "You wouldn't…" He trailed off, because he knew I would. I grinned triumphantly. "Match point, Jaden." Growling he let me slide from his shoulder.

Apparently though he wasn't quite ready to concede to either, as I suddenly felt a smarting slap on my rear end. "What the heck?" I spun around to see him grinning like the cat that got the canary. My eyes narrowed and I made to punch him in the gut when an ear splitting scream made me falter and fall into what would have been my victim.

"You two are just too CUTE!" Eyes wide I grabbed Haru's arm for support, which only caused him to grin bigger. A long silver haired man with bright yellow eyes was staring at the two of us with the most devious look on his face. "You must be one of the flowers my dear Shigure has told me so much about. You are so much more adorable than he described." All I could do was blink as I clung to Haru, staring blankly at the extravagantly dressed stranger before me.

Suddenly Shigure flounced in from the other room, the rest of its occupants close at his heels. "Aya!" The longhaired stranger flipped his bangs out of his face to look at the mutt. "Shigure! It's been so long. I hope you haven't been too lonely without me." He cast a sidelong glance at Haru and me and I began to feel the need to glare. Something told me this must be the infamous Ayame I'd heard so much about, and I couldn't quite decide how I felt about him. "It would seem however that you've made new friends though Shigure. Have you been keeping these little flowers all to yourself?" Yep, has to be Ayame. Only a cohort of Shigure's would risk saying those kinds of things with all of the Sohma boys present in the same room without a hint of fear on his features.

Yuki gently tugged Tohru behind him and began walking at a frighteningly steady pace, a chilling look in his eyes that made my own glare soften in sympathy for the poor, no doubt idiotic, soul before me. "Brother. What are you doing here?" Ayame twirled around to look at Yuki. _There's a surprise, Yuki's related to him?_ "Oh, Little Brother, when I heard that Ha'ri was going to be coming I just had to tag along to meet your new friends and check up on you!" The exuberant posturing and exaggerated hand motions hadn't been at all subdued by Yuki's death glare. The ice in his voice was making me want to turn around and run, I don't see how Ayame could just stand there and smile.

"Well I'm fine and you've seen them, now GO. AWAY." Only then did the slightest hint of hurt appear on Ayame's features. He lifted a hand in what might have been an attempt at an apologetic gesture, but the opening and abrupt closing of the front door made everyone turn to see Hatori sliding in. "Ayame." With one word the silver haired man had traipsed off to stand by Hatori, bouncing like a puppy. Hatori looked at Ayame with his usual cool gaze, before gently closing his eye and letting his head droop. "If you don't behave I'm going to take you home." At this Ayame gasped and looked at him pleadingly once, almost like he was about to beg, before he sighed and nodded. "Yes sir! I'm on my best behavior from this moment onwards!"

I watched all of this unfold while leaning against Haru, trying my best to regain my equilibrium and figure out what in the world was going on. I looked over to were Yuki stood, his head hanging low as he muttered very un-nice things I hadn't known the Princeling was even capable of saying. It was too much.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I lost all control and fell to the floor, my head thrown back as I clutched my sides. I felt the cow ears on my head flop around as I rolled backwards, landing against Haru's ankles. "Oh this is just perfect! It all makes sense now!" I felt every eye in the room turn and question what little sanity I had left. I coughed as I tried to find my voice, only to be stopped when another giggle fit hit me. "Oh, the threats, the stories, I finally get it!" Haru folded his arms and looked at Hatori across the room. "I think she's finally lost it." I slapped his shin half heartedly and stood up slowly, still chuckling. I walked over and hugged Yuki, and for once he didn't stiffen, only slumped further as I pet his head. "Poor Yuki. He's not at all the kind of person your Princeling self can comprehend is he?" I giggled quietly as he nodded into my shoulder, never ceasing his muttering.

I heard Yuki's older brother scoff across the room. "What does that mean?" he called out indignantly. I looked over my shoulder at Ayame and smiled. "Think about it would you? You're you, Mr. Flamboyance, while Yuki is Mr. Reserved, do you not see clashing personality traits?" At this he huffed, but didn't deny it in the least. Shigure chuckled at the scene before going over Ayame and Hatori. "Alright, I think we've had enough fun at the brother's expense. Hatori needs to take care of Jaden and we need to catch up. So why don't the rest of you run along?" He made a shooing gesture with his hands that received less than pleasant looks from the boys.

Haru raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Am I invited?" I sighed and let go of Yuki, rubbing his shoulder softly in reassurance. "I think I'm good Haru. Thank You though." He looked slightly put out but nodded. He stalked off after Kyo, Momiji, and Tohru who had decided to go buy groceries. Yuki looked up, having finally calmed down again. "Are you sure you'll be alright Jaden?" I nodded. He tweaked my now rat ears and I felt them flinch in response. "I'll be upstairs studying if you need anything then." He sighed and cast one last loathing look at his brother before heading toward his room.

I let my hands rest at my sides as I spun around to look at the three men in front of me. Shigure clapped his hands together and smiled in his goof ball fashion that can't help but make me crack a smile. "Alrighty then! Let's go to the kitchen. Will that work for you Hatori?" Hatori nodded and we all walked into the kitchen, Ayame for once it seemed calm and quiet. Shigure leaned against a counter and I out of habit hopped up next to him, sitting in my usual place whenever I had kitchen duty. Ayame leaned on the wall across from us and Hatori stood in front of me. He looked down at me impassively, the same way he almost always looked. I cocked my head to the side, feeling ever so slightly uncomfortable with the silence that had fallen as the Sohma trio stared at me.

"Are you gonna do something Doc or am I just gonna need to start stripping?" I smirked a little, knowing Haru would have approved of the started look I had managed to make appear on Hatori's face. Shigure chuckled beside me and I shot him a conspiratorial wink. "You know you'd like that Shigure." He laughed out loud this time before pulling on my hair and winding it around his fingers. "Oh I would, but the boys would kill me. Over protective of you as they are." He yanked on my hair once teasingly before the grin on his face started to fade. "This is a serious matter though Jaden. As much as I want to just tease and help you pretend it all never happened as you seem keen on doing my little Rose, we need to be honest with each other and admit that you were hurt and that you need to be looked after." I grumbled softly, but nodded nonetheless. Hatori seemed to finally have composed him self and sent me a withering look, making me feels about six inches shorter than I already was.

"Since you failed to mention to me the last time I was here about your health issues I suppose a complete examination is in order." I sighed but looked up at him waiting for my orders. "Shigure? You said that the extent of the injuries were on her back?" Shigure nodded and Hatori asked me to turn around. I carefully swung my feet up on to the counter and turned around so I was looking Shigure in the eyes as Hatori gently lifted my shirt. He didn't make a sound as he tucked the hem of my shirt around my collar so as to get a full view of my back. Surprisingly enough Ayame didn't shout out or say something idiotically worrisome as I had expected someone with his flamboyant reputation to have. Instead all I heard was a small thoughtful sound and soft footsteps coming to lean on the counter next to me on my right. I looked up at him curiously and he mirrored my gaze.

"No questions? You're actually going to just leave me alone about it?" I asked him, surprise layered with intrigue and the heady feeling of elation. He smiled crookedly at me and snickered. "I assumed that everyone had been bugging you, it couldn't hurt to wait till later anyways right? I only know what little Shigure has shared about you," at this he pouted and shot a glare past me to Shigure who was talking softly to Hatori. "And he hasn't said much at all." I giggled softly before wincing as Hatori poked my shoulder. "That hurt still?" I narrowed my eyes in no general direction to keep from rolling them. "No, I just like the sound that people make when they are in pain. I know it's kind of sadistic to think like that but that's just who I am." Shigure flicked me on the forehead without even looking up from my back. Hatori and he seemed intent on making sure they knew each of my injuries like the back of their hands. "Looks like my little Rose still needs pruning, would you please be serious and explain the injury so Hatori will know whether he should be worried that it still hasn't healed." Sighing at their seriousness I racked my brain to find the best way to explain the tolls that had been placed upon my poor shoulder. "Seeing as I dislocated it not to long ago, it the battle with the fan girls and then stupid stuff in general…I'd have to say that it's just a much abused shoulder. Things keep reopening because I have terrible luck." I shrugged and immediately regretted it as Hatori had yet to stop his hands from poking and prodding the wounds along my shoulders. I winced but managed to stay silent this time.

Ayame raised a pale eyebrow at me as he caught me facial expression, so I stuck my tongue out at him. He chuckled at me childishness and let his head droop against the cabinets. His long hair slid down to pool on the counter. I caught myself admiring it and fingered my own less then well cared for locks. "I love your hair." Ayame grinned brightly. "Why thank you my dear! It really is my best feature, right after the eyes of course." With this he winked flirtatiously and I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling. "You are nothing like your brother, you know that?" His grin faded into a softer smile, his eyes becoming distant. "I know. I never got to know him much; we grew up apart from one another for the most part. But I'm trying now, even if he does shut me out every chance he gets." I reached out, careful not to move too much or get flicked by Shigure for being unreasonable to something silly like that, and set my hand on top of his squeezing it gently once. "You're just a little too flamboyant to be the kind of person the little Princeling takes to easily. Give him time and little more space, he'll come to his sense soon enough. If not I'll get it through his skull one way or another. The Princeling just can't quite see what an amazing big brother he has." I let my hand drop, my piece said. Ayame stared at me wide eyed before wrapping his arms around my head and neck in a hug. "You really are just too cute aren't you?" He said softly into my bunched shirt. I scoffed at his mushiness but I found myself smiling anyways. _I'm getting so soft aren't I?_

Just then I felt the sting of cold antiseptic as Hatori wiped rubbing alcohol across the majority of my back. "WHAT THE CRAP!" I cried, smacking in their general direction. Hatori dodged easily but I managed to grab hold of Shigure's collar. Snatching him towards me I yanked him across the counter until we were eye to eye. He let out a whimper as he caught sight of my eyes. I was seething. "Give a girl some warning next time would you? I _hate_ that crap." Shigure reached up, I presumed to flick me again for being a nuisance when I heard a soft hum coming from Hatori. "What is it Dragon man? Don't think I don't remember that you're at fault here too." When I looked backwards I blinked at the harsh light that was streaming in from the kitchen window. Hatori raised his eyebrow and pointed at me. I hissed at him. "How is that supposed to answer my question?"

At this Shigure slunk around so he was in my line of vision, which was a fairly astonishing accomplishment seeing as I hadn't let go of my death grip on his shirt. "Um, what Ha'ri is trying to say is that you seemed to have discovered your newest 'zodiac' form if you will." I sat there for a minute watching Shigure twitch in my grasp before it dawned on me. I let go if Shigure and let him fall into a heap against the cabinets as I reached up to feel my face. It wasn't scaly like when I had hugged Hatori that time; instead it felt more like leather, smooth and cold. "Why didn't you just say so then? Really you guys can be hopeless." I grinned down at Shigure who had fallen to the floor.

"It isn't the kind of thing we are used to having to explain, cut us some slack Jaden. Besides, you don't look nearly as cute as when you hug Yuki or Kyo. You kind of look creepy this time." At this I looked back at Ayame who jumped before leaning in so our noses were practically touching. "Amazing! I must say you really pull off that color, and I don't think people normally can." I frowned, having no real clue what they were talking about. Ayame however went and got me a hand mirror from the bathroom so I could see without getting up.

Hatori didn't let our newest development deter him and instead finished up with the sterilization and wrapping of the wounds he had deemed worthy of extra attention. (Which sadly ended up being more than half of them) By the time Ayame had gotten back he had moved on from my back to my arms. I was sitting with my legs dangling over Shigure who was sitting at my feet, having finally lost interest in meddling with Hatori's work. He had opened an old school yearbook and was showing me the trio's high school years. "Here's the three of us right after Ayame got elected Student Council President. Hatori you look so dashing, always the scholarly one of the three of us."

Hatori hummed quietly as he finished wrapping my bicep. "As I recall it was only my 'scholarly' nature that kept the two of you out of the principal's office quite a good deal of the time." Shigure feigned hurt and cast a broken look up at me. "Jaden! Hatori is so cruel to his old school chum don't you think?" I laughed and tapped the top of his head with my foot. "Poor Shigure, I'm sure you deserve it." That managed to crack a smile on the stoic face of our resident Dragon.

Ayame pranced into the room with the elusive mirror in his grasp. He held it in front of me and I stared at what I was told was my own reflection. My skin was patterned like snake skin, paler than normal and it seemed to almost shimmer. My eyes matched Ayame's golden orbs. I stuck my tongue out, relived to find that it wasn't forked, but I let my mouth hang open when I realized that my canines had grown long and thin, just like fangs. "Wicked!" Shigure sighed from his spot on the floor. "Oh why aren't you a delicate lily like little Tohru? I think that hanging out with that rough and coarse Haru has wilted your femininity." I kicked him in the head and he ate floor crying out as he did so. "How many more stupid flower jokes do you have left? You have got to be running out by now right?" At this he rolled over and shot me a smirk that made want to run as far away as I could. "I've only just begun Jaden dear! Do you not like my flower jokes?"

Hatori pat me on the arm, distracting me from my sudden urge to jump on Shigure's face. "You're finished. However I have to say that my new rules are for you to keep the wrestling to a minimum, no fighting or beating up on Haru, and no heavy lifting." I scowled. "What does that leave me to do? Am I just supposed to sit still and get the guys to wait on me hand and foot? They coddle me enough as it is!" Hatori only had to narrow his eye at me for me to get the very clear quit-whining-now-or-it'll-get-much-worse message. "Fine." But can I go scare Yuki with my new face before I'm bound to boredom?"

Shigure snickered from the floor, so I jumped down on his stomach after receiving the go-ahead from Hatori. Running up the stairs to Yuki's room I slid in my sock feet past his open door before grabbing on to the door frame and slamming into the wall, clumsily stopping myself from face planting. Hatori's warning shouts of being grounded if I didn't watch it rang throughout the whole house. Yuki shuffled to the door, leaning out to see what in the world had just collided with his wall.

"Jaden is that you-" He cut off as I stepped back and steadied myself, posing in front of him. "Yuki! What do ya think of my new look?" I grinned wide letting my fangs glisten as they lightly rested against my lower lip. Yuki's eyes widened and he reached forward to touch my face. "Snake skin…" He muttered.

Then he got this murderous look in his eyes that made me step backwards in surprise. He stormed past me, leaving his door wide open as he stomped through the hallway. "Yuki?" I questioned. This wasn't what I was expecting. I followed behind him, pulling on his elbow as he refused to answer me. "Yuki! Come on, tell me what you're doing!" I grabbed his arm and dug my heels in as he continued onwards, the action failing miserably and resulting in me sliding along behind him.

Yuki swung into the kitchen making me fall sideways and slide down the hallway only to hear Yuki get the closest I had ever heard to yelling as he caught sight of his brother "AYAME! What the heck were you doing hugging Jaden!" A small cry of "Yuki!" and then lots of smashing sounds made me think it was better to stay outside. I inched backwards and it wasn't long before I was joined by Shigure and Hatori. "Think it's best we give them some of that brother bonding time they've been needing. Don't you?" Both Sohma men nodded and we all inched away to Shigure's office where we promptly locked the door and cowered- I mean quietly decided to spend our time while we waited for Yuki to finish him- I mean for them to finish bonding.

**(A/N): Alright! I hope you enjoyed your little Christmas present. If I screwed up please tell me. I love opinions, ideas, plain old random questions that I will try to answer should my magic eight-ball show up… Ya'll now the drill.**

**Lots of Love!**

**-Rat**


	12. Chapter 12

**(A/N): Alright, this is going to be shorter than normal because I've been given a deadline by a friend and if I don't get two chapters up before her I will never hear the end of it. I made sure that you get two GOOD chapters though and I hope you all enjoy this one in particular. I'm explaining things here that lead up to dangerous parts…**

**Dun-dun-duh!**

**Disclaimer: I only own what I own, if it ain't mine it ain't mine.**

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12

We sat in the corner of Shigure's office, the crashing of Ayame's face against what ever surface could be found in the kitchen ringing through the house. "Oh my poor house." Shigure sighed. I snickered and couldn't help but feel sorry for Ayame. "Maybe I should have told Yuki exactly what happened the minute he started freaking out. I kind of feel Ayame getting mauled was my fault." Hatori shook his head, the hair in front of his eye swishing lightly as he did so. "He would have gotten beaten to a pulp sooner or later. It's probably best Yuki get it out of his system before everyone gets back from the store."

Shigure nodded before cringing at the all too familiar sound of his sliding door being crushed to bits. Sighing Hatori relaxed against the book shelf as we settled into a pleasant silence. I sat there on the floor, flipping through Shigure's books. I hadn't paid much attention to them the last time I was looking at them, but then I had been pissed and in a dress. It made me feel better to realize that not everything he wrote was smut.

After having gotten a good three chapters into a book about a young boy who realized the only person who could actually see him was his dog, yet that had lived his life as normally as any one else until he turned fifteen. I was startled out of it by the sound of Hatori shifting sideways. My eyes followed his for once relaxed form I realized he was drifting off to sleep. Smiling to myself I looked to see Shigure actually working, not just doodling or making paper airplanes.

"Shigure?" I asked softly, so as not to wake up Hatori. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, making sure that he didn't wake up before going to sit on the floor next to Shigure. "Jaden?" He asked lightly, teasing me as he looked up from his manuscripts. "I was wondering… why am I like this?" At this he paused and lightly set his pencil down on the desk as he turned in his chair to look at me. "What do you mean? Cute as a button with the temperament of a rabid dog?" I growled and lunged for him at that, only succeeding in being wrapped up into a firm hug and held at bay. _When was he able to subdue me? He's been holding back it seems. I guess it makes sense. Why would the guys being the only ones in the Sohma house with martial arts training…_

"Now, now. No need to get violent." He was chuckling at me as I wriggled about in his grasp trying to get away so I could properly pound him. "Jaden stop." He sounded serious for once so I stopped, my eyes were just barely above his shoulder as I was squeezed closer into his torso. My dog ears perked at his tone and I waited to hear what else he would say. He tensed before slowly pulling me away from him to look me in the eyes.

"I know what you mean, I was just hoping you would ask that particular question when I actually had an answer for you.

We all want to know why you are affected by the curse that as far as we know has only been subjected to members of the Sohma house. Are you a distant member of our family? Are you from a family who was also cursed? Is it just you or are there others? There are too many questions and not enough answers. I've been doing some research but so far I can't come up with anything. How you even play into the curse is a mystery itself. There was never another player in the story of the zodiac animals, so who are you supposed to be even?" I sat on his knees, the tips of toes brushing the ground as I contemplated his words.

"We are looking into it Jaden, it's just, we have to be careful. If we look too hard someone who can't keep their mouth shut is bound to find out. I hate keeping secrets from Akito, but you are one I have to keep until we know the truth. The last thing we want to do is subject you to our curse in its entirety only to find out you have no part in it." I nodded and made to slide back to the ground, but I paused. "Thank you." He blinked and made to say something but I cut him off. "Thank you for looking. But it doesn't matter to me if you find anything at all. You don't have to keep looking if you don't want to." _What happens when we find out? Will I have to leave? What if he gets in trouble for looking for the truth by keeping me a secret? I'm a free loader, but I don't want to get him in trouble… or hurt. Shigure can't get hurt. _

I smiled softly and went back to sit down but I felt him grab my hand softly, holding onto my finger tips with his much larger hand as he turned me back around. "No lying anymore Jaden. That's what I told you. We tell each other the truth now and we don't hide things. So don't tell me it doesn't matter to you. It's a part of you and you deserve to know." Frowning I narrowed my eyes. "What made you think I was lying? Maybe I don't want to know what my part in this whole thing is." He raised an eyebrow at me and crossed his arms. "One, you wouldn't have asked if it didn't mean anything to you." _Strike one. _"Two, I know you well enough to know you wouldn't change your mind that quickly unless you were trying to hide something." _Strike two. _"And Three," he pointed at my head. "I'm a dog too you know. I can tell when I puppy's trying to be sneaky and when they aren't being honest. Don't try and lie to me when you look like an adorable little mutt." Grumbling I turned around, my ears flat against my head as I sat back down to finish his book.

He chuckled but we both shut up when we heard the door open. Turning our heads we saw Yuki walk in, Ayame bruised and battered, but with an only slightly less exuberant look on his face. "I apologize for interrupting. He will behave now." Yuki turned to give Ayame an icy glare, "WON'T you, Ayame?" At this Ayame shrunk past him nodding and throwing his hands up in mock defeat. "Yes darling brother! Anything for you!" I guess he never will learn then will he?

Hatori groaned from his spot on the floor, rubbing his neck as he straightened out. Ayame bolted to his side, settling down beside him happily as he looked at Yuki with puppy dog eyes. "Ha'ri! Have you been sleeping this whole time? You really should rest more, it isn't god for you to spend do much time working, you're only human you know." Hatori rolled his good eye and looked at Yuki placidly. "I'm surprised we didn't have to cart him off in a hearse after all of the ruckus you were causing."

Shigure barked out a laugh. "I don't think you heard the worst of it Hatori, you were out like a light for the really gruesome sounding stuff." Yuki came to sit beside me, having apparently abandoned his studies in order to keep an eye on his brother. I pat him on the head and he looked pointedly at my ears. "Do I need to have a talk with Shigure as well now?" Despite the venom in his voice and mock exhaustion I could see he was only teasing as he pulled on my floppy puppy ear.

Sticking my tongue out at him I shook my head. "Not right now, he didn't do anything too terrible. Maybe later though." Shigure gasped from his seat and looked hurt. "Oh my little Rose, I thought you loved me! To think I spent all of that time looking for a cure to your most adorable features if I do say so myself only to have you turn around and give Yuki permission to harm me! Oh what a cruel world, such double standards!"

I rolled my eyes and then beamed the book I had been planning on finishing at his, having found a more meaningful purpose for it.

As he watched Shigure attempt to duck the projectile Yuki asked him, "Have you found anything then? About Miss. Jaden's part of the curse?" Shigure sat back up straight and shuffled the papers on his desk half heartedly. "No, not yet. Nothing I've come across mentions a fourteenth animal, or any other kind of part of the curse. It could be that she is cursed herself and her curse just reacts with ours. Or it could just be that she's a freak. I guess we wi- HEY!" Two more books came flying at his face, causing the chair he had been sitting in to topple over on to the floor and him to mumble some very un-nice things in our general direction as I held up a hand for a tentative high five from the Princeling.

"I guess this goes to show not to let an idiot try and do real work." Hatori stood up and exited the room with no further words leaving us in an awkward silence as we tried to figure out what in the world he was doing and where in the world that had come from. He came back in to the room carrying his bag before setting it on Shigure's desk and rummaging through it. "I had planned on coming to visit soon; I am somewhat displeased it had to be under these conditions though. But what can't be helped can't be helped I suppose." From his bag he pulled out a notebook and a file folder.

Yuki stood up and I followed behind hesitantly, not sure if I really wanted to know what was going on. "Hatori?" Yuki asked as he picked up the folder. Flipping it open I saw several photocopied sheets that looked as if they had come from extremely old books. Yuki's eyes widened as he skimmed over the pages. "You found it…" He trailed off as Shigure snatched the papers from his hands. "Ha'ri, how in the world did you manage this?" Hatori went back to his spot that was now free of the Ayame as he was now reading over Shigure's shoulders. Yuki grabbed the notebook and began flipping through Hatori's detailed doctor's scrawl as Hatori began to explain.

"Being the family doctor I have access to any and all materials that may lead to complications the curse may cause. While the materials all together are very few and of little to no help, they do come from sources that normally are far more knowledgeable in such matters. After several hours of research and multiple phone calls I came up with someone who had several old tomes that contained detailed and nearly verbatim copies of the original stories. The tomes they owned of course where nearly illegible, but I they were able to provide me with what little copies they had that were still able to be deciphered.

It was sheer luck that Jaden's part was still intact, seeing as most of the zodiac story itself was torn to shreds. But having heard the tale myself hundred's of times I was able to pick out easily." I stood in the middle of the room as the others flipped through the notes and copies, reading what he had found. I swallowed hard as I braced myself for this. I really wanted to know how I was a part of this curse; it did mean a lot to me no matter how much I had tried to ignore it and leave it be. But I still wasn't sure any good would come of me knowing. But I promised no more secrets, and not allowing myself to know the truth is as bad as keeping a secret. I had to know.

"So…Dragon Man?" I lifted my gaze to meet his; he had apparently been watching me, waiting for my reaction. "What am I?" The flipping of pages stopped and I felt Shigure, Yuki, and Ayame looking at me. They didn't move as they stilled, waiting to hear Hatori's explanation.

"You would like me to tell you your part in the story?" He asked, more for my benefit that his. He knew I wanted to know; he just wanted to make sure I was ready to hear it. I nodded and sat down at his feet, playing with the hem of my shirt as I sat down. "Alright then. Have you heard the story before?" I nodded again, and he leaned back. Yuki moved to lean against the wall perpendicular to us. Shigure turned in his chair to face us and Ayame leaned against his desk.

"Then I suppose I'll fill in the holes. As you all know God had asked the Rat to ask all of the animals to attend a party he was throwing the next day. But the Rat who was friends with the Cat decided to play a joke on him and tell him that the party was the day after the next."

_ Little known however is that another animal was present when God had given the Rat these instructions. The Fox had been listening in from his place on the palace's window. After hearing the instructions he had decided to follow the Rat. The Fox was friends with all of the animals, and knew very well that the Rat was known for playing games and tricks on his friends, most especially the Cat. _

_ The Fox followed the Rat as he told all of the animals about the party the following day. When they came to the cat's house the Fox sat near the trees and listened as the Rat lied to the Cat, telling him the party would take place the following day. After the Rat had left the Fox came to the Cat. The Fox told the Cat that the Rat had lied, and that the party was supposed to be the next day, not the day after. However the Cat didn't want to listen to the Fox, not believing that the Rat would lie to him about something God had told him to tell all of his creatures. The Fox tried to convince him but was met with the Cat's stubborn side, he wouldn't hear any of it. _

_ After that the Fox went to the Rat, pulling him aside and asking him to tell the cat the truth about the party. God had asked him to do something and he was defying God for a useless prank that would only end badly. The Rat refused, but asked the Fox to attend as well, seeing as he was also among God's creatures. The Fox sighed and went home, saying that he might attend or he might not, it was not the time to decide. _

_ When the next day came all of the animal's lined up out side the gates of God's palace, the Fox among them, although he was very sad. He had tried to wake the cat and ask him to come with him, but the Cat denied. He was mad at the Fox for trying to tell him that the Rat would have lied about God's own words and instead chose to ignore him, instead sleeping the day away as he thought of the party that would come the next day._

_ When God opened his gates he accepted his animals with open arms, throwing them the most glorious of banquets. The fox tried to enjoy himself but was still upset, nothing he did would make him feel better. Then God asked the animals that had come to be apart of his Zodiac. The Fox jumped up and told him that the cat hadn't come, and had asked what was to become of him? God said that if he had chosen not to come then he couldn't not be apart of his Zodiac. The Fox became angry and yelled, saying that it was the Rat's fault for lying, that the Rat shouldn't be apart of his Zodiac for defying him in such away. The Rat sat by quietly, knowing that the Fox was right, but also knowing that the Foxes sneaky nature and reputation for getting where he shouldn't be would take care of itself. _

_ The Rat was right, God remembered all of the things the Fox was known for doing, all of the trouble that he would get into with the Cat and the other animals, how the Fox would always get hurt or get the other animals hurt by its foolishness. God said that he was saddened by the Fox's words, and asked why it would lie to him. The Fox was angered even further and declared that he didn't wish to be apart of a Zodiac that belonged to such a foolish God, a that God refused to see with his own all seeing eyes the truth that came before him. He cried out that the Rat hasn't even tried to defend himself, that God should ask the Rat for the truth. _

_ God refused though, and was angry with the things the Fox was saying and calling him. God told the Fox to leave his sight, and that he never wished to see his form again. The Fox left, going to see the Cat before he left the world belonging to God entirely. The Cat came out to see the Fox, having gotten over his previous anger. When he left his home however the Fox simply told the Cat to make sure he knew where his love lied and then left, no good bye, and never returning. God had told the Fox to leave and so he did, becoming adopted by a new family of creatures and starting over, never forgetting though the pain he felt when God had claimed he lied to him and had cast him aside._

The room was silent as we processed the story. I looked at Yuki and saw the pain on his features. I moved to say something to him but he quietly slipped away, closing the door sharply as he headed to his room. "Yuki." I said softly as I watched him leave. Shigure hummed to himself solemnly as he thought. "That poor boy always seems to be the root of someone else's hate." I turned on him sharply. "Don't say that. I could never hate Yuki! The Rat wasn't at fault in the story; it was God who turned away the Fox, who told me to leave. Not the Rat's." I huffed as he put his hands up in defeat. Hatori collected his folders as he stood. "This seems to explain you shape-shifting ability as well." Trying to calm down I looked at him, raising an eyebrow in question. "How so? It sounds like I'm supposed to have red hair and a bushy tail when I hug somebody. Not what ever I can steal from one of you."

Ayame piped up from his spot on the desk. "Well, Foxes are associated with being thieves. But what Ha'ri is trying to say is that God said that he never wanted to see your 'form' again. So when in our presence you take on our forms, hiding yourself from God through our own attributes."

I mulled this over in my mind. "I suppose that makes sense and it shows that while still connected to the zodiac, my curse is different from yours. But by the looks of it…" I trialed off as I realized who it was that had cursed me. Shigure seemed to understand my thoughts. "Yes Jaden. It seems that you too are in a way connected to Akito."

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(A/N): Alright, I'm keeping this short because eternal glory and bubble wrap are on the line. I'm sorry this is shorter than normal but I promise next chapter is going to be more fun.

Lots of Love,

-Rat


	13. Chapter 13

**(A/N): Alright, part two of my insanely fast updates. Like I said I'm keeping the Authors notes short to reduce the amount of time it takes to post these.**

**They are shorter than normal, sorry. But they both will play a bug part in the future of this story. I hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: All I own is Jaden and any other Oc-ish thing that pops up.**

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13

I was standing by the roadside, waiting for everyone to come home. They had left two or three hours ago and were bound to be back any minute. Agreed I had been standing on the road for good hour and a half and had said the same thing to myself an hour ago. I was leaning against a tree as I mulled over everything I had learned.

I was the Fox.

I was the only one cast out on purpose by God.

And Yuki really doesn't like Elton John when he is moping.

After he had run out and Shigure had said that I was still 'in theory' connected and most likely under the power of Akito, I had run from the room to find Yuki. After tripping on the stairs, screaming for the Princeling the entire way and being hollered at by Shigure and Ayame to not do anything stupid and hurt myself again, I fell onto his closed door, sliding down it until he actually opened it. He had blinked down at me in the floor and had made to pick me up off the floor I had thrown my arms around him( cringing when I remembered my shoulder) and had started belting out the lyrics to 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart' as I swayed us back and forth until he told me to stop.

I then proceeded to ask if he was going to apologize for ditching on me when Hatori finished his story, leaving me all alone with Shigure and Ayame to figure out all of the meanings to it all. He had looked at me his eyes wide. "You mean you aren't upset?" I raised an eyebrow and looked at him like he was insane. "You mean for ditching on me? Of course I am displeased with you Princeling. I'm not exactly angry but you definitely are going to have to make this up to me." He shook his head and grabbed my face in his hands when I made to drag him downstairs and continue chattering on about how silly he was being.

"That's not what I meant Miss. Jaden. I meant you aren't at all resentful towards the Rat for being the cause of your curse?" I had really been hoping he had been moping for some other reason, it was futile but I had hoped all the same. I let him have it before stomping out side to where I am now. "Look. I don't know why you think I would be upset about some thousands of years old story where your little curse creature was a real jerk to his friends, but I'm not. You are Yuki, and on occasion you are a much smaller and furrier Yuki." I snarled at him. He let go of my face, stepping backwards as he took in my words. "Besides did you not listen to a thing Hatori said? It wasn't the Rat's fault the Fox got cursed. It was my own dang fault for being a smart aleck! You are such a masochist Princeling! This whole thing is the best thing that has happened to me since when I first met Tohru and Kyoko, do you really think I'd let some stupid curse story ruin all of what you've given me?" With that statement running through my head as well as ringing out though the quiet house as I stomped outside.

Then we come to now, where I am staring at the same spot in the road as I had been an hour ago trying to figure out if the puddle looked more like a flamingo or an elephant. I was about to settle for aardvark when I heard the joyous sounds of Kyo threatening to beat the living daylights out of Momiji for being so dang bouncy. I looked up and caught sight of the top of Kyo's orange head and Haru's spiky white one as they came around the bend.

I took off sprinting for them, not bothering to call out to them as I ran. My hair flew out behind me, it felt as if it was slowing me down and making me work harder to get to my friends and my family. The boys and Tohru made the turn just as I was nearing it. Tohru's eyes widened and she smiled when she saw me. I ran and jumped on her, seeing as she was the only one not carrying a grocery bag. Wrapping my arms around her I pulled her into the biggest hug I could manage. We were lucky that we didn't fall over I rushed her so hard.

"Jaden! It's nice to see you too." She laughed as I pulled her as close to me as possible. Being as short as I was I was practically hanging off of her. My toes were barely on the ground. "I love you Tohru." She smiled and hugged me back. "I love you too Jaden. What brought his on?" Looking up at her I smiled softly. I could tell her, I could tell them all right here. They might worry, they might be upset, but I knew for a fact I was a part of something now. I wasn't just mooching off of their families curse, lifestyle, everything really. It was written in those old as dirt books that I was apart of all of this, good or bad, rain or shine. I. Belonged.

"Tohru, I belong here." I smiled and she smiled back softly, understanding what I meant. She knew what I said and what I hadn't said. Kyo however….

"Of course you belong here! What the heck is wrong with you?" I laughed loudly and moved to tackled him too, he screamed and began trying to keep from dropping the bags. "What the heck Jaden? What has gotten in to you?" By now I was laughing hysterically, moving from him to Momiji, spinning him in circles as I giggled. Afterwards I went to Haru who had set his bags on the ground. I jumped into his arms and kissed him noisily on the forehead. "I. Belong, Here!" Haru smirked and kissed my nose. "Angel, what meds did Hatori give you? Because I think he needs to give them to you more often." Laughing I jumped down and grabbed half of his bags and half of Kyo's and headed back to the house, linking my arm through Tohru's as we smiled like a couple of idiots.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

As we were unpacking the groceries Yuki came downstairs. I looked him square in the eyes and he looked away before timidly meeting my gaze. I smirked and winked at him and motioned for him to get his butt over hear and help put up the food. He smiled and shook his head before grabbing a full bag. Yuki and I had reached a nonverbal understanding and that was good enough for me.

Kyo kept looking over his shoulder at me, his eyes narrowed as he fumed in the corner he claimed. Tohru had put him to working making the rice balls for lunch since apparently he was good at it. I was humming some song I had heard on the radio as I bounced around the kitchen trying to put things up one handed. When I had showed up at the front door Ayame had been waiting, his foot tapping the ground impatiently, with orders from Dragon-Man to not do anything strenuous or possibly resulting in injury involving my shoulder. I had to sit through a good three minute lecture about 'listening to Ha'ri because Ha'ri knows best' before he broke down and had to hug me as I had been standing there with Haru's cow ears flopping from side to side as I listened to him half heartedly.

Tohru found my snake form to be really cool and Momiji said I looked kind of scary. Kyo raised his eyebrows and poked my face before I smacked him on the head. Haru had stayed silent and had hugged me again as soon as they all had been through marveling my reptilian face and fangs. I had asked him if he didn't like my snake face. He just smirked and said he liked me better when I looked like him. I smacked him just because I felt like it when he said that, even though I didn't really see anything wrong with it.

It wasn't long before we were through putting the groceries up and Tohru and Kyo were through making lunch. We all sat down to eat. Hatori, Shigure and Ayame grabbed food before returning to his office to 'bond' as Shigure put it. Ayame had offered to stay but Yuki very quickly shot him down with a 'not no but heck no'. As we ate Tohru and I discussed her experimental recipe. The fish tasted delicious but I thought that maybe if she used some more spices it would taste better. She agreed and we were trying to figure out what we should add to it for next time.

Momiji and Haru were talking about school, and how they would be attending High School with us before too long. Yuki ate in relative silence, occasionally putting in his input with Tohru and I. Kyo however kept looking at me and then down at his food, and then up at me and down at his food. I was waiting to see who would last longer. Because if he didn't ask whatever was on his mind before too long then I was going to start laughing at the look on his face as he narrowed his eyes at his chopsticks.

Thankfully I didn't have to wait too long. "WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM?" He jumped up and pointed at me, his chest heaving at yelling so loudly. Setting my cup back down from where I had been about to drink I looked up at him. "Pardon?" He narrowed his eyes and started waving his arms about. "You're all smiles and humming! Before we left you were still pissed of and making fun of Ayame, now we come back and you're all buddy-buddy with him and laughing with all the smiling and hugging and..and…." He trailed off yet his arms kept flailing around. I couldn't help but laugh at the image but tried to hide it behind my hand. "There! Right there! You see what I'm talking about, giggly and cheery and you only tried to smack me once the entire time we've been back."

Haru piped up. "Kyo's right Princess, you're not your self. What happened while we were gone? Did they ask you to smoke something?" I sighed and stood up, taking the left over dishes to the sink. "Nothing…Oh well not nothing per se…" I trailed off as I tried to figure out how to phrase it. _Oh, nothing big, I just learned I really do kinda sorta belong in the same curse as you, though technically I'm probably on worse standings with your little God Akito than kitty boy is. But that's okay because so long as I know for a fact I'm a part of your family and that I really belong here with you all then I'm good. Bring on the abuse and smiting by the child deity, I'm cool._

Somehow I didn't think that would go over well. Wait a minute. "Ask Yuki. He knows." He-he, shifting the blame and the attention. I am evil. "Okay Rat boy, what happened while we were gone?" Kyo leered at him over the table, his elbows sticking out at ninety degree angles as he propped himself forward on the table. "Jaden, I think this is something you shou-" I shook my head and grabbed Tohru. "Nope, you can handle it. And the dishes, ya'll get to do the dishes. I need to go take Tohru someplace. I'll tell her and leave the boys to you. See ya!" With that I grabbed her and dashed out the door, she waved helplessly behind us as Yuki called out for me to wait.

Poor Princeling.

"Jaden! Where are we going?" She yelled as I dragged her behind me, taking a short cut through the trees. "_My_ secret base." I laughed as she quickly squealed and sped up. I had been meaning to take her with me for ages, but I hadn't been quite done with it yet. It still needed some work, but I managed to get the majority of it done on New Years. Surprisingly it was just the way I had left it. I had been able to sneak off a couple of days since then, but it was enough to handle

We came into town behind a small restaurant and we cut around until we were walking on the streets. I tugged on her sleeve, leading her with me down to the corner before turning left abruptly. After several more turns we were standing on a bridge that was far off the beaten path out in the woods behind a book store. We crossed it and took a minute to look at the small creek that ran right underneath it. When it rained really hard it used to fill up to what could almost be considered a river. The water was crystal clear and the woods were just dark enough around us to make it sparkle brightly when the small amount of light that drifted down from the thick treetops to the floor. Tohru stood in awe as the few birds that were there twittered softly.

Other than the sound of water, the birds, and our breathing it was utterly silent. No cars, no people, no anything could be heard. It was peaceful, and it was were I had always run to when I was in need of some peace. Tohru whispered softly. "It's beautiful!" Smiling I tugged on her sleeve and pulled her all the way across the bridge down on to the bank. Following the sandy ground I led her right underneath the bridge, it was a small fit and if she had been any taller she would have had to duck. I threw open my arms and directed her attention to the roof. "Here is my base, and this is my project." The look on her face was priceless.

Her mouth fell open as she followed my hands to the ceiling. On it I had been painting a mural for years. A lot of time was spent fixing mistakes, but so far the near end product was something I was extremely proud of.

The roof was a depiction of all of the animals in the Chinese Zodiac, except I had added on to each animal I had originally drawn to reflect the personality of the person who actually transformed into each animal respectively. The cat was hissing at the rat, and the cow had piercings. The dog was reading a book, and the dragon was wearing a stethoscope. I had all of the other animal's drawn and as I met members of the Sohma family I was planning on making them more personal as well.

"So, what do you think? I'm not any where near done. I have them all painted, but now that I've met the Sohma's I feel that they just aren't real unless the look like, well, a Sohma." She reached up and touched the by now dried paint, touching the now orange fur of the cat. Before I had painted it gray like all of the other tabbies I had seen before.

"Its…Perfect!" Tohru smiled at me, he grin reaching from ear to ear. "I can't wait to see it when its finished, I never knew you were such an artist Jaden." I rubbed the back of my head. "Normally I'm not, but I kind of like painting and I've been working on this for years." She hugged me and we both just stared up at it, thinking about the kinds of people the other animals would turn out to be like.

"Jaden, are you going to tell me what you told Yuki to tell the boys?" I nodded before taking a deep breath. I pulled her out into the sunlight and we sat on the bridge, our legs dangling over the cool water. "While you were gone, I found out the Hatori had been looking into how I played into the Sohma curse, or if I was even a part of it at all. Apparently I am a part of the curse, sort of." I tagged on quickly. She looked at me with wide eyes. "You are? That's great, I think. How are you a part of the Sohma's curse?"

I told her the story, all about the Fox and how he argued with God before being cast out, and being told never to show his form to him again. She sat there stunned before leaning against me. "Wow, that's so cool Jaden. To think you were a part of the Zodiac all these years and we never knew it. You know what this means right?" I looked at her inquisitively and shook my head. "You are going to have paint a fox in your picture too! It wouldn't be everyone if you weren't in it too." I smiled before wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "Well then how about a rice ball too while we're at it?" She smiled. "I'd like that Jaden." With that we began talking, just chatting about school and all of the things we thought about the Sohma boys. It was nice to be able to talk to her like this again. I'd missed her for so long any moment I got with her was something I knew I would forward to later.

The boys all sat in silence as they waited for Yuki to finish the story. Kyo was fuming in his seat while Haru had gone silent. With out Jaden near him it was hard to tell if he had gone white or if he was still somewhere in between like he was when he was near her. Momiji was listening intently as Yuki ended the tale and took a drink from his tea cup. "So that's it. She's the Fox, and God kicked her out." Kyo ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess this means she's one of us for real now." Haru slumped forward before standing to go look outside. "I don't know if should feel bad about being happy, or sad about still wishing it wasn't true." Momiji looked at his best friend curiously. "Whataya, mean by that Haru?" Yuki filled in. "He means that he doesn't know if he should be happy because she's someone with a curse and therefore someone Akito may allow him to love." Haru flinched at the sound of the 'L' word. He knew he loved her, but she didn't seem to realize his feelings for what they were. Kyo finished his thought for Momiji. "Or if he should feel bad about knowing it would be better that she wasn't a part of this curse…"

"And belongs to Akito as much as every one of us does." Haru said soft as the wind as he stared out. This was a development that he knew would either lead to something wonderful, or the most pain he had ever known.

(A/N): DONE! I hope you all enjoyed and Thank you to everyone who has sent me reviews thus far. They mean a lot and they help even more. I'm sorry my notes are so short and my chapters are two but like I said, eternal glory and bubble wrap were on the line here. I'll tell you how I did later or explain if anyone feels the need to ask.

Lots of Love,

-Rat


	14. Chapter 14

**(A/N): GAH! I'm a horrible, terrible person who deserves all kinds of bad karma for not updating this in so long. I feel horrible but I just wanted this chapter to be prefect and I didn't know what to do! I had the first bit written for over a month now, I just didn't' know where to go with it. But know I have figured it out! **

** Albeit is a lot shorter than normal and for that I am so very sorry, but I'm sure you'll understand why when you finish reading it. **

** Konekoko, I hope I didn't' miss your birthday! If I did then this is a belated present, and if not then it's early. This chapter is all yours sweetie!**

** I hope you all will forgive the long wait but as I said I just couldn't' figure out what I needed to do with this chapter. I hope this will tide you over until I get the next one out, but that's putting the cart before the horse. I hope you all like this one!**

**Disclaimer: Jaden is mine and so is her curse, aside from that and my Hetalia/Dr. Who shirt, I got nada. **

**And away we go…**

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14

Tohru and I stayed out at the bridge until the sun was only just beginning to fall from its zenith. After wards my stomach growled, much to Tohru's amusement, so we decided to find food.

"Where do you want to eat? It'll take too long to go home for food." I looked up at her swinging our arms between us haphazardly as we walked through the streets. She glanced around for a minute before pointing to a random restaurant. "That looks pretty good. Do you think it's okay?" I nodded along, not really caring where we ate so long as I was fed. _And so long as I don't have to go home yet…I think it's best we let Yuki break them in for a bit before I face them anyways…_

We stepped into the shop, settling in on a pair of stools as the owner piddled around behind the counter, waving to us to show he'd be with us in a minute. Tohru hummed as she flipped through the menu, deciding on a simple pot-sticker plate. I leaned on the counter and played with the ends of my sleeves as I watched the people who were walking outside. "What do you think will happen?" Tohru twisted around to look where I was, her hair flipping out as she did so. "What do you mean Jaden?"

A pair of little girls went flying buy, their laughing loud enough to be heard even from inside. "Now that I am a part of it all," I lilted out, spinning around to look at the menu only to decide I was too hungry to care what I got. "I belong to that Akito guy as much as any of the boys do now don't I?" Tohru slumped into her seat, leaning her arms on the counter as the thought sank in its entirety.

"I…I don't know. I honestly don't know a lot about Akito, the boys don't like to talk about him." She whispered after the man took our orders. I nodded to myself, picking up my chop sticks and twirling them in my hand lazily. We ate in silence, not exactly an awkward one, but it definitely not the kind that leaves you refreshed and relaxed after sitting in for any length of time.

Just as I was finishing off my plate Tohru shot upwards, her shoulders being firmly set as she spun towards me. "We may not know what is going to happen, but I'm sure it will be fine. Or you know…not bad. At least, it can't be worse. Oh dear but it might…but…but." By now she was stuttering, her fingers stuttering as she tried to piece together whatever thoughts were running through her head and consequently falling from her mouth in no particular order.

I bonked her on the head with my chopsticks, raising an eyebrow playfully at her as I did so. "I think you had a point in there somewhere?" Her face was set in determination as she clapped. "Right! What I was trying to say was," She grabbed my hand in both of hers making me look at her a little more closely. "Whatever happens, this time you have me and all of the Sohmas here to help you!" The way her eyes glistened as she said this made me sigh, how in the world someone can be that earnest still amazes me. "You got it." I chuckled as I paid for lunch and we headed out side. "Remind me never to ever let you and Momiji team up for _anything_. Got it? I don't think I can handle the two of you trying to make me do something." She giggled and saluted before beginning to make her way down the road. I made to follow but stopped when I caught sight of a sign in a window.

_I guess it's time for my new beginning to really start. Might as well run with it…_ "Hey Tohru, let's go in there." I pointed, only glancing back for a second to see her following me. The bell above the door tinkled melodically as we entered, a small homey atmosphere filling the shop. "Can I help you ladies?" An elderly woman asked from behind the counter, smiling sweetly as she re arranged the magazines in front of her.

I glanced back at Tohru to see her giving me her signature smile. "Go for it." She giggled out. I nodded, more to myself than anything and proceeded to allow myself a grin as I talked to the woman. _A brand new Jaden._

When Tohru and I finally made it back to the house, it was well on its way towards dusk, the sky a light pink as the sun began to settle into the horizon behind us. We giggled as we headed up the walk, but as soon as we reached the door our glee was stifled by the overwhelming seriousness that seemed to fill the atmosphere of the normally relaxed and free Sohma house. Tohru twiddled her fingers as she looked at me, smiling widely as she tried to lighten the mood. "At least no one's yelling? That means they aren't fighting, right?"

I tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a weak cough as I steeled myself. Like taking off a band-aid, I twitched the door open quickly and waltzed in, calling out a quick greeting as I tried to act as if nothing had changed, as if I was still just an adopted family member, and not an actual part of their oppressive curse.

"Oi! We're back! What do ya'll want for dinner?" I tried to slip into the kitchen without looking at them, my hat low over my eyes. But as I stepped into the room where we always met, they were sitting at the table, all so still and solemn I stopped mid step and took in a breath.

It was like a grave, their heads hung low and their eyes glued to the table. Shigure didn't even attempt to fake his normal amount of obnoxious spirit, his eyes just as dark as the others. It wasn't until Tohru finally entered the room that they finally raised their heads to look at me. "Oh, it's so quiet…" Tohru stuttered out as she shuffled around me to the kitchen, trying not to make it look like she was escaping.

"I noticed…" I hummed to myself as Kyo sat up from his napping position on the floor. "You're back late." He rumbled out, being the only on to speak. He waltzed over to us and I crossed my arms. "Do we have a curfew now oh 'golden' one?" I mocked, smirking up at him. He scowled and clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Shut up you little thief." He growled half heartedly as he pulled me into a forceful hug, crushing my face against his chest with one arm.

My hat fell from my head with the sudden force of his tug, as well as the sudden springing up of the feline's features on my head. I laughed, glad someone wasn't acting like I'd died, but then he noticed….

"What happened to your hair?" He asked puzzled? One eyebrow shooting up under his mess of orange. I lifted a hand to run my fingers through it, the short length still feeling foreign around my fingers. "I didn't think it looked that bad?" I muttered hesitantly. Tohru rushed forward clapping me on the shoulder. "Oh! No it looks really cute Jaden! Don't worry, he didn't' mean it like that!"

My face fell even further. "You know, apologizing like that only makes it seem like it really is bad…" I muttered under my breath as Kyo slapped my hand off of my head so he could mess with my hair. I had asked the woman to give something different, and had basically left it at that. She had listened to Tohru and I talk to one another for a while as she tried to come up with something, and then she'd had a ball with my excessively long and for the most part un-styled hair. The end results _I_ thought looked pretty good.

It was much shorter and honestly somewhat boyish. It wasn't until Tohru had pointed out did I realize it kind of looked like Kyo's hair. It was short like his, a similar cut I'll admit. Mine was spiked out (on purpose unlike the cat's), and the top was fluffed more, but that was only because the stylist had insisted upon gelling it out and on me taking a bottle with me free of charge. If I hadn't spiked it though...

"You have my hair." He finally stated, his lips twitching at the sides as he mussed my newly trimmed locks. I tried to smack his hands away but he simply growled as he continued to mess with me. "It's my hair. I didn't ask for this, she just gave it too me. I look better in it anyways." I stuck my tongue out at him and he grabbed it.

Glaring at him I held up three fingers. "Oo av ee econds oo et o." I stated calmly, the effect ruined by my having to talk around his grip. He stopped trying to hide his smile and was full on smirking. I put down one finger and he pulled on my tongue, stretching it as his smirk widened. "What are you going to do?"

Two.

He snickered and began to twist my tongue and the last finger dropped.

Three.

Grabbing his shoulders I shoved him to the floor, knocking him backwards as he wasn't expecting it. Which honestly, was stupid. We'd lived together for how many months and he didn't expect me to actually do something about it? Moron.

He let go of my tongue in exchange for fisting a hand in my hair. I returned the favor and we rolled on the floor, both screaming at each other in pain.

"Let go!" He howled at me and I hissed in response. "You first!"

"I mean it Runt quit it!"

"Take it back!"

"Let go and I'll take it back!"

"I'll let go when you take it back!"

We ended in an odd position, him practically straddling me on the floor while I pinned him down with an elbow behind his back. We were still growling at each other when the laughing started.

Pausing in our antics we shift to look, never actually letting go, to see that not the hyena of a dog laughing, but the Prince himself in near tears as he watched us wrestle. Tohru wasn't far behind, and soon all of the room's occupants were laughing, even Haru was snickering himself in his seat as he tried to remain solemn.

"What's so funny?" Kyo and I harmonized, snapping back to glare at each other as it was too soon in our fight to be agreeing on something.

"You…This…Nothing's changed at all has it?" Yuki chuckled out, trying hard to catch his breath and compose himself. Tohru snapped her fingers in recognition and managed to stop giggling, "Oh! It's just like the first day of school! When they were playing tag in the hallways, and then they ended up fighting over who won or something? I can't even remember how it started…" She covered her mouth with a dainty hand, trying to mimic the Rat and control herself.

Shigure of course was a lost cause. He had yet to cease barking and had thrown his head back, effectively falling to the ground as he guffawed. Kyo and I looked at one another and in a silent agreement counted down to three before letting go at the same time. Falling back we moved to circle the dog on the ground, before I pounced on his chest, grabbing his kimono by the shoulders.

"What's so funny?" I muttered darkly again, just to see him squirm as Kyo crossed his arms above me, his eyes narrowed into slits. He gulped and began rambling, the syllables not quite forming words as he tried to take around his choking laughter and fear. Just as I was about to find a way to mess with him I was forcibly lifted into the air.

Kicking out I jerked around, suspended by none other than Hatsuharu. He shook his head at me; the most serious I'd ever seen him so I stopped trying to make Shigure wet himself.

"You mind if we go talk?" He asked, a lilt in his voice making it apparent that eh didn't just want to go discuss what was going to be for dinner, or what we were supposed to be working on for school. I looked at everyone else, in various states of composure as they came down from our laughing high. Laughter really does solve everything huh? When we had walked in it had been a grave, now it was home again.

Nodding to him I allowed him to lead me outside, sweeping my hat from the floor and placing it on my head as we did so. Tohru waved good-bye before heading into the kitchen, a hungry Kyo following behind her, and we head out the back door.

"Hey Haru, where are we going?" I finally asked. We had been wandering for almost an hour, going off somewhere in the woods far from the main road. He hadn't said anything at all during that time, but I'd decided to leave him alone. Though it was really kind of scaring me.

This wasn't my Haru. This seemed more like the White Haru that everyone talked about before, the one that was quiet and restrained to a point of needing to explode with Black Haru, who only Yuki seemed able to manage. My Haru knew when to speak his mind and wouldn't leave me hanging for a whole hour when it was clear something was bothering him. He would have joined in more when the whole family was laughing, would have helped Kyo and I beat the crap out of Shigure. This just wasn't like him at all. This was a Haru before we'd met. Before he'd become my friend, my best friend. He wasn't supposed to be White or Black with me, just Gray. Just Haru.

He still hadn't answered my question and it was beginning to get really dark outside. I finally gave up and tugged on his hand sharply, causing him to turn around to look at me. "Enough. Tell me what's on your mind Slick, this isn't like you." I huffed, catching his eyes for a moment before looking at the sky.

The tree's were thick where we were, so I could only faintly see the purple color that was above us, the leafy braches effectively blocking my view. It was silent except for a trill or a cricket as I waited for a response.

Nothing. I gave up and tugged again, this time locking his gaze with mine out of the corner of my eye. "Well? What's up?"

I'd meant for it to be rougher, more laid back and more…Jaden. But instead it came out very worried and dare I say it girlish. I was about to take it back when he let go of my hand leaving me feeling unnaturally cold. I furrowed my brows and was about to open my mouth to protest when he snatched me up into a hug, falling backwards against a tree as he did so.

I didn't' even have time to exclaim, the force knocking the breath right out of me as we slid down to the forest floor. I sat on my knees, wrapped in his arms and he pulled one leg up, caging me in with his limbs.

"Haru?" I breathed out pulling away to look at his face. This wasn't' a normal hug, this was far to tight and much to strong for his normal hug. He wasn't teasing me and he wasn't being inappropriate. He was clinging to me as if I'd slip away. I felt him flinch as I said his name, nuzzling my neck with his nose, but still not saying a word. Not knowing what else to do I let myself fall into him, resting my ear against his chest and hesitantly pulling him closer to me. _He needs this…but why?_

"Shhh…shhhh. I-I'm here Haru." I stuttered out, trying to comfort him but really feeling like I was failing.

His heart beat felt off to me, wild and erratic as I leaned against him, so I tried to hum a tune, but nothing would stay put long enough in my head to make any sense. "Ha- Haru dang it! How the heck am I supposed to help you? Tell me what to do!" I growled at him, and I felt him shudder with silent laughter.

"I want to help you…" I grumbled out, feeling utterly useless. Slowly he relinquished me, his eyes red as if he's been crying, not that I had noticed. _Stupid Jaden!_ I was allowed to sit back, but his grip never lessened as he looked down at me. "You're a part of our curse." He muttered out, sounding very tired. Opening my mouth to comment he raised a hand to stop me, letting his fingers rest on my lips as he waited for me to close them.

"You're a member of our curse. You are subject to Akito's wrath. Which means…" He sighed, closing his eyes as he let his head fall back against the tree. "Which means that the odds of keeping you safe now really suck." His head falling to the side in absolute defeat, "I don't know if I can protect you like I promised."

He sighed once more and I let my hands fall back to his arms, resting at his elbows as he lazily opened an eye waiting for my response. I could see the fear on his face though, so I knew he meant everything he said despite his abnormal lack of enthusiasm.

"Hatsuharu Sohma." I began shaking my head. "You are such an idiot." He jerked up now and before I could continue my rant on his lack of thought I shut up.

Not because I saw something in his eyes, or because I was tired of lying about how wonderful it made me feel that he promised he'd protect me. No, I shut up, because his lips were on mine.

Hatsuharu Sohma was kissing me.

My eyes slid shut and I gripped his arms, completely confused. What was going on? Why was he kissing me? All that time he wasn't just teasing me? Did he actually care? What if this was just a new way for him to shut me up?

So many thoughts were running through my head, a great big jumbled mess that wasn't making any sense. I could barely hear it over the pounding sound my heart was making. My fingers slid on their own accord up to his shoulders, my left hand running through his hair and his own lifted to grip my face on either side. The feeling of his calloused hands so unusual against my cheeks, yet strangely comforting.

I, Jaden Eaves, kissed him back.

****

**(A/N): Alright lovelies, there ya go! I cant' believe to tell you how horrible I feel for not updating like I should be, but 'such is life'. We all know I'm horrible with updates, I'm just hopping that you all will stay forgiving. **

** Until next time darlings!**

**Lots of Love,**

**-Rat**


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